CWC meet Updates: Sonia Gandhi appointed as interim Congress chief; Rahul Gandhi refused to reconsider resignation, says senior leader

Full-time chief to be chosen after internal polls, said senior Congress leader PL Punia

Sonia Gandhi appointed as interim Congress chief, Ghulam Nabi Azad tells reporters

Rahul Gandhi’s resignation has been accepted and his good work as been kept on record, leaders tell reporters outside the party headquarters after the CWC meeting. She was appointed after Rahul Gandhi did not agree to take charge as the party chief despite requests by Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs.

Called to CWC meeting to discuss the Jammu and Kashmir situation, says Rahul Gandhi

The meeting to choose the next Congress president was stopped and Rahul Gandhi was summoned as reports about the worsening situation in Jammu and Kashmir came, the former party chief said. “There have been reports of violence and death. We discussed what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir. It is very important that Prime Minister Narendra modi and Centre must clarify on what is happening in the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir,” he told reporters outside the party headquarters.

He also said that the CWC meeting to choose his successor is still going on.

Rahul Gandhi arrives at AICC headquarters

#Delhi: Rahul Gandhi arrives for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting underway at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office. pic.twitter.com/iZU57sxZLn

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

The leadership crisis has arisen in the Congress ahead of apcoming polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana

Five consultation groups within party to present report before CWC

During the meeting that began after 8 pm at the AICC headquarters, five consultation groups will place their final reports before the CWC. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said several leaders who could not make it to New Delhi have been consulted over phone.

Five groups of for different regions — northeast, east, north, west and south – were formed for consultations. The CWC group for the northeast region included top party leaders such as Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni and former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat. The group for eastern region included AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, ex-Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and former Union minister Kumari Selja.

The northern region group included Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jyotiraditya Scindia and P Chidambaram. The western region group was has leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, A K Antony and Motilal Vora. The group for the southern region included Manmohan Singh, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik.
 

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy were also part of the consultation process.

PTI

Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is now underway at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in Delhi

Rahul Gandhi yet to arrive for the CWC meeting

The Congress leader is set to visit his Lok Sabha constitiuency Wayanad on Sunday, where floods have wreaked havoc.

List of previous AICC presidents
 

• Indira Gandhi (1978–84)
• Rajiv Gandhi (1985–91)
• P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991–96)
• Sitaram Kesri (1996–98)
• Sonia Gandhi (1998–2017)
• Rahul Gandhi (2017–2019)

Sonia Gandhi arrived for the CWC meeting

Sonia Gandhi arrived at the Congress headquarters with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi said that they will not be part of the decision to choose the next Congress president.

#Delhi: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. pic.twitter.com/iTKsqHtTaP

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

Congress leaders arrive at the party’s 24, Akbar Road headquarters for the second CWC meeting today

#Delhi: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh & Congress leaders AK Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia arrive at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. pic.twitter.com/0SZn3QlXi1

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

Leaders begin arriving for the second leg of the CWC meeting

Mukul Wasnik is among the top contenders for the position of the AICC president.

Congress workers say Rahul Gandhi must continue as party president

Congress workers across the board are of the opinion that Rahul Gandhi should continue to remain the party’s president, sources said. The support comes from the belief that if anyone outside the Gandhi family becomes president, either interim or permanent, there may be differences and dissension.

This could be aided by the Congress culture of having factions and different power centres operating within the party.

Rahul Gandhi refuses to take back resignation

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Saturday said that the Congress Working Committee had appealed to outgoing president Rahul Gandhi to continue to “lead and guide” the party as its chief, but he refused to take back his resignation.

Surjewala said, “The CWC appealed to Rahul Gandhi to continue his guidance in the difficult times of an incumbent government taking over all the institutions of the country. The CWC leaders said that only Rahul is eligible to be a strong Opposition leader. However, Rahul refused to take back his resignation and said that he will continue to work with the workers of the party.”

Shashi Tharoor stands by call for elections to all posts in CWC

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday tweeted soon after the first phase of deliberations of the Congress Working Committee on the next party president ended. He said,“My position remains what I first articulated more than a month ago: CWC should choose an interim president as soon as possible, then resign and announce open elections for both, the president and CWC.

“The final choice should reflect the wishes of the party workers and should be a person, irrespective of age or gender, who can both energize the party organization and inspire the voters — especially those who did not support us in 2014 and 2019. We just cannot afford “business as usual”.”

1/2 For those following the #CWC meet to decide on a new @INCIndia President: https://t.co/fpbXi9SBhV
My position remains what I first articulated more than a month ago: CWC should choose an Interim President asap, then resign & announce open elections for both President & CWC.

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 10, 2019

Next Congress chief likely to be ‘finalised’ by 9 pm today

The first phase of the Congress Working Committee meeting has ended, and is likely to resume at 8.30 pm on Saturday. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary said, “We will meet again at 8.30 pm, and it (name of new party chief) is expected to be finalized by 9 pm today itself.”

Ashok Gehlot says process of deliberation is ongoing ‘smoothly’

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot spoke to reporters outside the Congress headquarters on Saturday as the Congress Working Committee meeting continued over deliberations of the next party president. Gehlot said that the process had begun and was taking place in a “smooth manner”.

Referring to the groups formed to streamline the process of selecting the successor of Rahul Gandhi, Gehlot added, “The groups have been formed, and the CWC leaders have been put in charge of different states. They are talking to all MPs, and party leaders of those states. The process is going on very smoothly, and the opinions of all the CWC leaders has started. They are deliberating very carefully.”

Naturally we can’t be part of CWC meeting: Sonia Gandhi

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who left the CWC meeting which is deliberating the next Congress president, said, “Now the consultation is on, and naturally Rahul and I can’t be part of the consultation.”

In outgoing Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s second resignation letter, he stated that “it would not be right” for him to weigh in on the process of choosing his successor.

Rahul and I can’t be part of consultation process, says Sonia

UPA chairperson and Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday reportedly left the Congress Working Committee meeting which has gathered with the purpose of deliberating and appointing a new president of the party. Outgoing president Rahul Gandhi also left the meeting, according to ANI .

Sonia said, “We will not be a part of the consultation process (to decide next party chief) and that is why we are leaving.” Rahul, ever since he resigned from the post of the party chief two months ago, has insisted that the next leader of the party should not be from the Gandhi family.

Next Congress chief likely to be decided on today, say reports

The Congress is likely to decide on the successor of outgoing party president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, News18 reported. The CWC meeting, which is being attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi among other senior Congress leaders, is to deliberate on a candidate and may take a decision on Saturday.

The meeting comes after more than a month after Rahul resigned from the post in a bid to take responsibility for the party’s loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to the Narendra Modi-led BJP.

Crucial CWC meeting begins

The Congress Working Committee meeting to deliberate on the next president of the main Opposition party has begun. The gathering of senior party leaders is likely to accept outgoing president Rahul Gandhi’s resignation and debate on his successor.

No perfect candidate exists, Congressmen should back whoever party picks in the end, says political experts

Senior journalist Javed Ansari opined that it was futile to expect that one person can satisfy all members completely. He, However, said that it is important for the party’s survival that a broad consensus is achieved and all partymen support him or her. He cited the example of Madhavrao Scindia and Rajesh Pilot who had earlier also believed that a younger generation person should run the party but had ultimately stood by the party leadership.

Mukul Wasnik among frontrunner, say sources

A 2009 profile of Wasnik in  Hindustan Times  describes him as “low profile and kind of a solo player”, someone who has suffered electoral setbacks because he is “out of sync with problems of rural people.” 

However, his administrative capacities have been proven time and again. Wasnik, say sources, is seen as a strong choice to repair the Congress’s organizational weaknesses with his long administrative record. He was minister in the PV Narsimharao and Manmohan Singh-led governments and has also worked closely with Sonia Gandhi while she was Congress president.

Rahul Gandhi democratises process of Congress president’s election 

Although the Congress constitution clearly states that only CWC members can discuss and elect an interim party chief when a vacancy occurs due to the resignation or death of the incumbent chief, Gandhi told the participants that even party secretaries, PCC chiefs and CLP leaders should be consulted before an interim Congress president is elected, said people who attended the meeting,  The Economic Times reported_._

Milind Deora endorses names of Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia for Congress president 

To my mind, 2 young leaders have the administrative, organisational & electoral credentials to become @INCIndia President. They have pan-India appeal & either one can reinvigorate the party.
My @PTI_News interview:https://t.co/twqXpxb4Lv

— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा ☮️ (@milinddeora) August 9, 2019

CWC to form five groups to shortlist candidates to take charge in interim

The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest executive body, will start the formal process of finding a replacement for outgoing president Rahul Gandhi and constitute five groups to represent the different geographical regions. Along with members of Parliament, State unit leaders will be part of these groups to carry out wider consultations and decide on a single name.

CWC meeting to begin shortly 

The Congress Working Committee meeting is likely to start shortly. The top body of India’s oldest party is meeting to appoint the new party president today after consultations at a meeting of the party’s top decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee, over a month after Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post to take responsibility for the drubbing at the hands of the Narendra Modi-led BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

New Congress president to be appointed over ’next few days’

The new Congress president will be appointed within the next few days after consultations with the state leaders of the party, sources said on Friday, ahead of the crucial CWC meeting.

The top Congress leadership held a meeting with its state unit chiefs and leaders of its state legislature parties, along with its general secretaries and in-charges, where they were told by Rahul Gandhi that there was nothing to worry as regards the selection of the new party chief, who would be appointed within the next few days after wider consultations, the sources said.