Kishor's entry: Some leaders misused G-23, says Moily

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Sunday said some leaders "misused" the G-23 and asserted that if anyone persists with its institutionalisation it would be for "vested interest" as reform of the party was already underway under Sonia Gandhi.

The former Union minister also voiced strong support for poll strategist Prashant Kishor's induction into the Congress and said those opposing his entry into the party were "anti-reform".

In an interview with PTI, Moily, who was among the 23 leaders who wrote to Gandhi last year seeking organizational overhaul, opposed the institutionalisation of the G-23 and said "some of us put our signatures only for reform of the party from within and to rebuild the party, not to destroy it".

"Some of our leaders misused the G-23. No sooner did Sonia ji think of reforming the party from within and from the grassroots level, we did not subscribe to the idea of G-23," the senior Congress leader said, without taking any names.

He said with the initiation of reform under party chief Sonia Gandhi's leadership, the G-23 has "no role and has become irrelevant".

"If they (some leaders) persist (with G-23) that means there is a vested interest for a few of them to work against the Congress party which we don't subscribe to and rather oppose it," Moily said.

Anybody who again uses the instrument of G-23 is doing a great disservice to the Indian National Congress and its legacy, he said, adding such actions would help the Congress' rivals. His remarks assume significance as many leaders of the G-23 have either distanced themselves from it or have been silent following the letter they wrote last year.

Out of that group of 23 leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi, Jitin Prasada has switched over to the BJP.

A few members of the G-23 had got together at social gatherings a couple of times at Kapil Sibal's residence recently and reportedly discussed party issues. At one of the gatherings, Sibal had invited a host of opposition leaders as well to his residence. Moily said the "major surgery" of the party that he has been talking about to revitalize the organisation was already being contemplated by Sonia Gandhi.

"She (Sonia Gandhi) is active and taking decisions, such decisions are needed," he said, adding he was happy with the steps taken by the party chief. Asked about speculation that Kishor could join the Congress, Moily said it was advisable that he joins the Congress and injects reforms from within.