Pressured by the Group of 23 senior Congress members, also known as G23, for an immediate revamp of the grand old party, former party chief Rahul Gandhi is said to be working on a formula with his close aides like Sachin Pilot, Mukul Wasnik, Bhupesh Baghel, Ashok Gehlot and Mallikarjun Kharge to bridge the gap between the dissidents and the leadership.
Engaging with the leaders for regular communication will also be part of the exercise to put the house in order. Rahul has been often blamed for remaining incommunicado to the leaders and party workers. Sources said Rahul has even sought suggestions from them about others who can play a greater and a trustworthy role for the future of the party without compromising the Congress’ ideologies.
Among others, the party is also seriously considering projecting “Chhattisgarh Model” of governance in the next state elections including that in Gujarat before the 2024 general elections. Sources said that Rahul has been frequent in seeking suggestions, advices from Wasnik, Gehlot, Baghel, Kharge and Pilot, who have also been tasked to get in touch the dissidents like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal and others to carry forward the “inclusive and collective leadership” growth of the party as propounded by the G23 during the three regular meetings in the last one week held post the poll debacle.
A senior party member said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi too has sought names and suggestions from Azad for party’s revival. Azad had met Sonia on Friday and reiterated his suggestion to rejig Madhusudan Mistry-led central election committee, the top body to decide party tickets, and revive the parliamentary board that once oversaw the Congress’ parliamentary activities. The high command has also received a suggestion to appoint at least four working presidents to take care of northern, southern, eastern and western India, another party leader said.
Party sources said Sonia has been in regular touch with some rebel leaders but is quite annoyed by senior party leader Sibal who has been vocal against party leadership since last one and a half years questioning the high command for successive defeats in elections.
Azad has already sought to settle dust on debate on Sonia’s leadership by pointing out that she had offered to resign but entire working committee unanimously rejected her proposal and asked her to continue. AICC sources said that each of CWC members has been asked to prepare a road map which should be in interest of party’s revival and also in national interest. The next CWC is scheduled by first week of April followed by Chintan Shivir by mid-May.