Sonia Gandhi to resign as Congress President
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Paving the way for Rahul Gandhi’s possible elevation, Congress President Sonia Gandhi is likely to step down from her position when the grand old party holds its internal elections by October 15. “We must strengthen our organisation. The ongoing organisational elections must be completed with the utmost speed and sincerity,” Sonia said at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
Earlier in the day, the CWC, the party’s highest decision-making body, approved the schedule for internal elections under which the party has to complete the exercise before October 15.
When asked whether the issue of elevation of Rahul Gandhi was discussed at the meeting, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad did not disclose too much details. “The schedule for organisational elections has been cleared by the CWC,” Azad said, adding that the Congress vice-president’s elevation was not specifically discussed.
During the last meeting in November, the CWC members had unanimously expressed “strong sentiment” for Rahul’s elevation for the first time. Among those who backed Rahul’s promotion included former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior leader A K Antony. Rahul was appointed as party vice-president in January 2013 during a session in Jaipur.
Sonia has been at the helm of the 130-year-old organisation for nearly two decades since late Sitaram Kesri’s ouster by the CWC in early 1998.
