Letter-writers may have lost upper hand after leak

NEWDELHI: Senior Congress leaders who called for an overhaul of the party organisation may have aimed at exposing how Rahul Gandhi’s loyalists were allegedly trying to run the party, but a leak of the letter they wrote to Sonia Gandhi turned the tables. They lost the advantage they gained at a July 30 meeting with Sonia Gandhi and Rajya Sabha members of the party.

Their key demand this time, according to the letter, was for a “full-time and effective” leadership that is “visible” and “active”.

Signatories to the letter, including Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, came under intense attack from colleagues at Monday’s meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which ended with the party reaffirming its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

A resolution adopted by the CWC, too, contained a sharp reference. “No one will be or can be permitted to undermine or weaken the party and its leadership at this juncture,” the resolution said.

Senior leaders who were signatories to the letter cited several reasons why they had been “compelled” to write it, including difficulties in getting appointments with the party’s top brass.

One leader said on condition of anonymity that in the internal Whatsapp group of Congress leaders, any suggestion for a review of the party’s functioning or detailed discussions are met with attacks by at least two MPS.

He added that some leaders have also wondered why one general secretary, considered to be close to Rahul Gandhi, is present in several key panels. He did not name the leader.

Some senior leaders were also got frustrated at the delay in shuffling state organisations.

“Many key appointments are held back. There is no clarity on how the organisation was working and there was no consultation with senior leaders,” said a signatory to the letter.

But while this section was successful in getting their agenda discussed in the meeting, several party insiders said the letter turned the tide against them.