“I Am Full-Time President”: Sonia Gandhi at CWC Meeting

New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi on Saturday underlined her position as a “full-time and hands-on Congress President” as she hit back at critics within the party – such as the ‘G-23’ – who have been pushing, for over a year now, for an organisational overhaul and the election of “visible and effective leadership”.

Addressing a meeting of the Congress Working Committee – the party’s highest decision-making body – Mrs Gandhi, who has been interim President since Rahul Gandhi quit in 2019 – said “I have always appreciated frankness” and “there is no need to speak to me through the media” – a reference to letters released by ‘G-23’ members that triggered public spats between leaders in both camps.

“I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands on Congress President…” Mrs Gandhi said, highlighting her leadership on national issues like the farmers protests, the provision of aid and relief during the pandemic and atrocities committed on marginalised groups and communities.

“You are aware that I have been taking them up with the Prime Minister, as have Dr Manmohan Singh ji and Rahul (Gandhi) ji… I have been interacting with like-minded political parties regularly. We have issued joint statements on national issues and coordinated our strategy in Parliament as well.”

“… but what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC,” she said, warning the ‘G-23‘ against leaking to the press.

Sometime during the meet senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad – a ‘G-23’ member – was quoted media as saying: “We have full faith in Sonia Gandhi ji and nobody is questioning her leadership.”

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