Sonia Gandhi fires 5 state Congress chiefs over poll drubbing
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked the party's chiefs in five states--where it suffered massive defeats in assembly polls last week--to put in their resignations. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the resignations were sought to "facilitate the reorganization" of the state units. Notably, Congress lost the recently held assembly elections in all five states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Manipur.
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The move comes after the Congress leadership discussed the latest poll drubbings at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Sunday. Congress lost power in Punjab to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and failed to put up a credible fight in the four states where it had hoped for a comeback or even manage a close contest with the BJP.
Sonia offered to resign at CWC
As per reports, Sonia Gandhi offered to resign along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in her speech at the CWC meeting, which was called to discuss the performance in polls. Gandhi reportedly offered to resign as the "ultimate sacrifice in the interest of the party," reports claimed. However, the party leaders "unanimously rejected" the resignation offer, NDTV reported quoting party leaders.
CWC authorized Gandhi to take 'effective and immediate steps'
After a four-and-a-half-hour meeting, the CWC decided that Sonia Gandhi would remain the party president. It also authorized Gandhi to take "effective and immediate steps" to address organizational issues. Congress also put out a video of all its former leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, on its Twitter handle, signaling that the Gandhis would remain in charge.
Leadership is in cuckoo land: Kapil Sibal
Meanwhile, the dissenting group of senior Congress leaders--dubbed G-23--is critical of the Gandhis and has called for a complete overhaul. Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal said Gandhis should step aside and give some other leader a chance to lead the party. "Leadership is in cuckoo land... I want a 'Sab ki Congress'. Some want a 'Ghar ki Congress'," Sibal told The Indian Express.
