New Delhi, March 24
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, who has taken a proactive role since the banner of revolt raised by the ‘G-23’ group against the party’s current system of working, has sought reports from the General Secretaries and state in charges about the political situation in the states they handle, sources said.
A meeting of the party functionaries who have been given state-specific responsibilities has been called on Saturday.
Gandhi, ahead of the ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brain-storming camp) proposed next month, wants these reports handy and to put forth a plan for the revival of the party as she has to come out and actively involve herself in the party functioning in wake of the dismal performance in the latest round of Assembly elections.
Though the G-23 has not opened up about the two rounds of the meeting with the Congress President, first with its senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and second with Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, and Vivek Tankha, sources say that the group is pushing for revival of the parliamentary board and collective decision-making body, rather than giving sweeping powers to certain individuals who have been losing election after elections.
Reaching out the dissidents by her meetings with G-23 leaders to discuss the proposals mooted by them, Gandhi is putting her best effort to put a united face in the party. She has also been successful in persuading the group not to press on the leadership issue.
Azad, who had met the party chief on March 18, had said that there was no vacancy currently for the post of President, nobody asked her to quit, and all want her to continue.
The group has also distanced himself from the views of senior party leader and fellow G-23 leader Kapil Sibal on leadership change.
