Sonia wants old guard PC, Azad as deputies once Rahul is made Congress president

Sonia Gandhi’s suggestion that two senior leaders should be made the vice presidents in case a change of guard takes place,” the source said.

Significantly, the RahulZhaohui controversy was followed by the immediate restructuring of the Congress’ communication department, wherein Sonia Gandhi’s trusted aides— Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, P. Chidambaram, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Jairam Ramesh—were inducted with major responsibilities. From Rahul’s team, only Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sushmita Dev managed to find a berth. The controversy surrounding Rahul’s meeting with China’s ambassador, at a time when India and its hostile neighbour are engaged in a bitter troops’ impasse at Doka La or Doklam area at the India-BhutanChina tri-junction, earned the Congress much negative press.

Commenting on the development, a source said, “Sonia Gandhi is very particular that there has to be deft media handling, and a very clear communication has to be established.”

Political commentators are of the view that increasing pressure from allies, some of whom have overtly or covertly conveyed to Sonia Gandhi that they are more comfortable dealing with her than her son, may be the reason why the Congress is delaying Rahul’s elevation as party president. Officially, senior Congress leaders, including P.L. Punia, have stated that Rahul will be made the party’s de jure No. 1 before the year ends.

This reporter was the first to mention that during Sonia Gandhi’s luncheon for leaders of 17 Opposition parties on 26 May, two of Congress’ allies Lalu Yadav and Sharad Yadav pointed out to her that she should continue to be at the helm till 2019 (‘ Lalu, Sharad opposed Rahul elevation at Sonia lunch’, 3 June). Although the two leaders did not say anything critical of Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, sources said that their unsolicited comment, made in a meeting called to discuss the presidential election, was seen by the high command as a “friendly warning” that if Rahul were to be made the sole in-charge of the Congress, and consequently the face of the United Progressive Alliance, the allies may disappear.