It’s to be a departure from recent past and instead of Zoom, it will now be using WebEx for video conferencing the meet to tide over the fear of hacking. The last time Sonia Gandhi met Rajya Sabha MPs, the incident left a bad experience. So this time, the Congress is taking no chances and the ID for the meeting will be given to the participants just before it begins.
Ironically, the fear of leak or hacking is not from China, Pakistan or even the BJP. It’s from within the party as the Congress faces a crisis of leadership and voices that were silent or reticent till now have started becoming vocal. At such a time, the last thing the top Congress leadership would want is for their internal strife to be made public.
However, the change in the means of conducting the meeting cannot put a lid on the crisis that the CWC could address. The biggest problem remains that of leadership. Most leaders in private and, some publicly, have complained that Congress has lost its steam; that it cannot fight the Modi juggernaut and the listlessness means soon Congress could be eased out of the national narrative. Apart from many leaving the party, those who stayed behind and are with the Congress often wonder what’s happening.
Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari and Rajiv Satav are a few who have raised their voice against this.
The problem before Sonia Gandhi remains the reluctance of Rahul Gandhi to take charge. When recently, a year-old interview of Priyanka Vadra to a book surfaced in which she said she agreed with her brother on a non-Gandhi Congress president, there were alarm bells in the party. The Congress officially made a statement to say the old interview was being used to push an agenda and party workers and leaders accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader.
At the CWC, it’s quite possible more voices may come up asking for Rahul Gandhi to take charge as it’s clear that Sonia Gandhi wants to hand over the reins. But what if he remains adamant? There is a proposal in place which could be implemented.
There could be appointment of more than two vice-presidents to assist Sonia Gandhi. This is to address the concern that Congress needs a full-time president. But such an appointment could also ensure that Gandhis remain in control and the party continues to be headed by one of them, in this case Sonia Gandhi. Names which are doing the rounds are of Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram and Mallikarjun Kharge, but it’s quite possible that young leaders could be propped up.
This apart, many new faces could be brought in for key posts and most of them are perceived to be close to Rahul Gandhi. Sushmita Dev and Manickam Tagore are some names doing the rounds.
It would also be interesting to see whether Sachin Pilot is brought to the centre. While Pilot has made it clear that he sees Rajasthan as his ‘karam bhumi’ and CM Ashok Gehlot doesn’t want to leave the state yet, the Congress leadership could bring in Pilot to buy time till the committee submits its report.
The caveat for all this is, of course, that the Congress needs to have the urge to solve this turmoil. For now, the restlessness becomes tough to ignore. Some like Jitin Prasada have formed a Brahmin Samaj and this is to capitalise on the 12% Brahmin vote bank which his party doesn’t seem to be concentrating on. Clearly, he wants to ensure that his politics stays alive.
Few others who don’t want to leave the Congress are looking at ways to stay relevant. But the list of disillusioned leaders is long and growing, and many of these have at one point been influential or important in the scheme of things such as Milind Deora, Veerappa Moily, Anand Sharma, Ashwini Kumar, Salman Khurshid.
Some chose to leave the party, like Jyotiraditya Scindia, some fought back and continue to do so like Sachin Pilot. But as new leaders are being propped up and Rahul Gandhi has his favourites, many feel left out and yet, want to stay in the party. The CWC brings some hope to them that things could change. But will the Congress and CWC once again shy away from taking a decision?
Army wants anti-drone systems integrated…
14-04-2025
The Indian Army, alarmed by the heavy tank losses suffered by Russia in Ukraine due to drone warfare, is seeking advanced counter-drone systems for its T-90S and T-72 tanks. A...
Read moreAccused in Rs 13,850 crore PNB fraud, Me…
14-04-2025
Mehul Choksi, the fugitive businessman, owes approximately Rs 63 lakh in unpaid maintenance fees for his Malabar Hill flat in Mumbai, spanning over seven years. A society member reported that...
Read moreFresh encounter breaks out in J&K's …
14-04-2025
A new encounter started between security forces and terrorists in Poonch's Lasana village. The event occurred on Monday night. Security forces initiated a search operation after receiving information about terrorist...
Read more
Lingayat, Vokkaliga netas huddle ahead o…
14-04-2025
Karnataka's government faces internal pressure following the leak of a caste census report. Vokkaliga and Lingayat leaders are contesting the population estimates, claiming higher numbers. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar convened...
Read moreKarnataka bid to breach 50% quota cap aw…
14-04-2025
Karnataka's potential increase in caste-based reservations faces legal challenges, mirroring the fate of similar laws in other states. While the Supreme Court deemed the 50% quota cap not entirely inflexible...
Read moreNet suspension extended to parts of Mald…
14-04-2025
Violence erupted in Bengal over the new waqf law, with Bhangar witnessing intense clashes where mobs attacked police, leaving 16 officers injured. The unrest, triggered by police preventing an ISF...
Read more
Fear still stalks residents who fled Mur…
14-04-2025
Following violent clashes sparked by the new waqf law, Hriday Das fled Murshidabad with his family after losing relatives and his home. Scores of others sought refuge in neighboring Jharkhand...
Read moreTMC, BJP trade blame over Bengal unrest …
14-04-2025
Political tensions escalate in Bengal's Murshidabad as Trinamool Congress and BJP clash over ongoing violence. TMC accuses protesters of serving BJP's agenda by disrupting life, while BJP demands President's rule...
Read moreFire at government hospital, over 200 pa…
14-04-2025
A fire erupted at Lucknow's Lokbandhu Hospital on Monday night, sparking widespread panic and the urgent evacuation of over 200 patients, including those in critical condition. The blaze, suspected to...
Read more
Across political divide, netas unite to …
14-04-2025
India's political spectrum united to honor B.R. Ambedkar on his 135th birth anniversary, solidifying his position as a universally respected figure. Leaders like PM Modi and Sonia Gandhi paid floral...
Read moreBJP, RSS are enemies of Ambedkar: Congre…
14-04-2025
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has branded the BJP-RSS as "enemies" of Ambedkar, alleging they only offer lip service for political gain. Kharge claimed Ambedkar blamed V.D. Savarkar for his 1952...
Read moreIndia united, strong due to statute: Jus…
14-04-2025
Justice B.R. Gavai emphasized the Constitution's pivotal role in maintaining India's unity and stability over the past 75 years, despite challenges. He lauded B.R. Ambedkar's contribution to uplifting marginalized communities...
Read moreCongress humiliated, distorted vision of…
14-04-2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a gathering in Hisar on Ambedkar's birth anniversary, strongly criticized the Congress party for allegedly disrespecting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar during his lifetime and attempting to...
Read more
Not disclosing criminal case 'moral turp…
14-04-2025
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that concealing a criminal case during job application constitutes "moral turpitude," even if the applicant is later acquitted. This decision upheld the cancellation...
Read more
