INC: 23 Top Leaders Call For Changes, Writes To Sonia Gandhi

In a letter to send to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi three weeks ago, more than 20 top party leaders had sought discussion with Gandhi over the unsteady leadership issues of the party. Several news outlets have confirmed the top-decision-making body – the Congress Working Committee will be meeting virtually on Monday to sort out the internal crisis.

A Hindustan Times report confirmed that at least 23 senior leaders wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi asking for a complete rehaul of the organization, while, The Indian Express reported that the writers of the letter include former chief ministers like Bhupender Singh Hooda and Prithviraj Chavan, former ministers Kapil Sibal and Shashi Tharoor as well as younger leaders like Milind Deora and Jitin Prasada.

An Indian Express report states the letter sent three weeks ago said, "It calls for a "full time and effective leadership" which is both "visible" and "active" in the field; elections to the CWC; and the urgent establishment of an "institutional leadership mechanism" to "collectively" guide the party's revival".

Arguing that the revival of the Congress is "a national imperative" fundamental to the health of democracy, the letter, sources said, underlines how the party's steady decline comes when the country faces its "gravest political, social and economic challenges since Independence," the report further stated.

The top leaders has alleged in the letter that key appointments of state Congress presidents and office bearers are "unduly delayed and leaders who command respect and acceptability in the State are not appointed in time and Congress presidents are not given freedom to take organisational decisions".

An NDTV report even stated that "Sonia Gandhi, 73, has made it clear that she does not want to continue especially because of her health. There is a strong chorus within the party from those keen to see Rahul Gandhi return as Congress president and lead the party".