CWC meet begins amid chorus to bring Rahul back as Congress chief

New Delhi:The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met here on Monday amid a huge controversy over a letter by more than a score of key party leaders urging for sweeping reforms, and 'a full-time, visible leadership', even as chorus to bring back Rahul Gandhi as chief has gained momentum in some quarters.

Party workers are expecting imminent change in leadership at this juncture, and tweets and letters flying all over the place since last evening have showed a bend towards Rahul Gandhi to be brought back to the hot seat. Many Congress leaders have openly demanded to bring back Rahul Gandhi as the party President without any further delay.

The party though said only the CWC, which is the highest decision-making body in the Congress, will discuss and decide on the issue.

The CWC meeting comes weeks after the Congress saw a stormy meeting of its Rajya Sabha MPs wherein certain leaders sought introspection on the 2019 poll debacle. Thereafter, a bunch of leaders wrote the letter to Congress interim chief on the issue of leadership change and elections in the CWC.

Sacked Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha earlier said that 100 party leaders have written the letter to Sonia Gandhi for making "sweeping changes" in the party. This has, however, been denied by the Congress and its chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Sources said that the letter, about which IANS had reported on July 29, said: "There should be full-time party leadership which should be effective and active in the field. It should work for the revival of the Congress, elections in the CWC and urgent establishment of a suitable mechanism."

The letter has been signed by a number of senior leaders, including former Chief Ministers, from the party.

Sonia Gandhi took over as interim party chief in August last year after Rahul Gandhi resigned following the party debacle in the 2019 general elections.

The party leaders are said to be unhappy with "directionless and adrift" Congress affairs.

Now, there is strong chorus within the party to again make Rahul Gandhi the party president, especially from young leaders close to him.

However, a section of the party is also critical of Rahul Gandhi's team and alleged that they are "political greenhorns" who have weakened the party electorally.