Congress mulls role for G23 leaders in decision-making process; Gandhis depute negotiators

In a key development, Congress is likely to accommodate some of the G23 leaders in the party's decision-making process after the debacle in the 5-state Assembly polls. This dissident group came to the fore on August 23, 2020, when 23 senior party leaders wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi stressing the need for full-time leadership and conducting elections at all levels including the Congress Working Committee. The signatories to the letter included Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Milind Deora and Sandeep Dikshit. 

As per sources, G23 leaders might find a place in the CWC or a new body like the Parliamentary Board which will take policy decisions such as finalising CM candidates and alliances with like-minded parties. As G23 has reportedly sought the ouster of Congress general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal, chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala and general secretary Ajay Maken, some of these leaders might be shifted to other posts to placate the dissident group. Moreover, Hooda can be asked to lead the party's charge in Haryana which goes to the polls in 2024. Sources also revealed that the Gandhis have deputed negotiators to talk to the G23 leaders and work out an amicable solution. 

Infighting in Congress

The rift in Congress came to the fore once again after the party's massive defeat in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab. Speaking exclusively to Indian Express on March 15, Kapil Sibal opined that the Gandhis should step aside from their leadership roles. Alleging that the party leadership is living in "cuckoo land", he made his preference clear for a 'Ghar ki Congress' over 'Sab ki Congress'. On this occasion, he also questioned the rationale behind formally elevating Rahul Gandhi as the Congress chief, citing that he is the de-facto president already. 

While there was anticipation that Congress might advance its organizational elections, the CWC meet on March 13 turned out to be a damp squib as the party reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of interim president Sonia Gandhi and asked her to lead from the front. In a show of strength on Wednesday evening, 18 leaders participated in the G23 meeting at Ghulam Nabi Azad's residence in Delhi. In a statement released after the meeting, G23 called upon the party to adopt a "collective and leadership" while refraining from explicitly criticising Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.