CWC meeting Updates: After hours of meeting, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) late on Saturday night decided to appoint Sonia Gandhi as the interim president of the party. Here selection as the interim chief means that she will continue to stay at the helm of the party till a new president is chosen. The decision was taken keeping in mind of a couple of state elections that are lined up in the coming months. Before the appointment of Rahul Gandhi as the party chief, Sonia Gandhi had been the party president for close to 19 years.
A number of names were doing rounds the entire day. Starting from Priyanka Gandhi to Mukul Wasnik to Sachin Pilot, a number of names were coming up as to who will be party’s next chief. The day saw two rounds of CWC meeting. The first was in the morning, when the decision to form a number of groups to deliberate on the issue. While Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi came out of the meeting in the morning, saying they should not be part of the prcess, both were present in the meeting during the evening
Rahul Gandhi held a meeting earlier in the with party state unit chiefs and leaders of its state legislature parties, along with its general secretaries and in-charges on Friday and told them that the name of the new party chief will be announced in the next few days after wider consultations. “I am happy that the Congress is under pressure and this will jolt the Congress into action,” Rahul Gandhi reportedly told the Congress leaders during the meeting.
He had quit the Congress president post following the humiliating loss in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress could manage to win just 52 seats.
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Congress CWC meeting, new Congress president name announcement LIVE Updates
Congress Working Committee unanimously resolved that Rahul Gandhi should continue as Congress president & requested him to accept this decision, however, he declined to withdraw his resignation.
Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously resolved to request Sonia Gandhi to take over as the Interim president, pending the election of a regular president by the AICC, says K C Venugopal
There are reports of violence, so we stopped our deliberation and we had our presentation on what was going in Jammu and Kashmir. It is important that Prime Minister makes it clear what is happening in Union territory of Jammu&Kashmir, and Ladakh", Rahul Gabdhi is quoted as saying by ANI.
Rahul Gandhi addresses media, slams the government for scrapping Article 370 in 370. During his interaction he says, he was called by the CWC to discuss on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting to pick new party president is still on.
With elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana coming up, the party is hoping to resolve the leadership issue quickly and move forward.
With CWC meeting already on. it remains to seem whether the party will appoint the new president today. Priyanka Gandhi is among the front runner for the post. The party is having its second meeting of the day.
Rahul Gandhi arrives for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting underway at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office.
As the CWC members met this evening at the AICC headquarters in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi did not initially join the leaders, reports said he is expected to attend the meeting later.
Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is underway at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in the national capital.
As per the report by India Today. Sachin Pilot. Milind Deora and Priyanka Gandhi are front runners to be next Congress president. As per the report, Rahul Gandhi's resignation might also be accepted.
As the Congress began the process of finding Rahul Gandhi's successor, senior party leader Shashi Tharoor said on Saturday the new chief should be a person who can energise the party's organisation and inspire the voters, asserting that the Congress cannot afford "business as usual".
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leaders AK Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia arrive at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
The Congress has issued a press release of today's meeting.
The CWC will meet for the second time todsy evening to take a final call on the new party president after a number of leaders, including state chiefs and MPs, backed Rahul Gandhi to continue on the post despite his refusal to reconsider his resignation.
Sonia Gandhi speaking about late Sheila Dikshit, during a prayer meeting said the former Delhi CM stood by her side during her darkest years. Later, when I was able to come out of my sorrow, she urged me to take the responsibility of Congress party president and when I took it, she was guiding me as an elder sister," she added.
The names of senior Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Mallikarjun Kharge and some younger leaders are doing the rounds for the party president post.
The assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand would be held soon. The grand old party would hope to resolve the leadership crisis and plan the way ahead.
The party's top decision-making body will reconvene at 8 pm to discuss reports of five groups, formed earlier in the day, and scrutinize the names of the potential successor to Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress working committee urged Rahul Gandhi to lead the party as the BJP-led government was "assaulting democracy and undermining people's rights".
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala says Rahul Gandhi was requested to continue on the post of party president during the ongoing CWC, however, he refused.
The name of new Congress president will be finalised by 9PM today, leader of the party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tells reporters. The CWC meeting is underway in New Delhi.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi told reporters that she and son Rahul won't take part in the CWC consultations which is currently underway to decide on the name of the next party president.
The Congress Working Committee has been divided into five groups which will then hold talks with state unit chiefs to finalise a name for the president's post. Several senior party leaders like Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Shashi Tharoor have warned that a delay in selecting a new party chief was harming the party to a great extent.
Top Congress leadership including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel and P Chidambaram are present in the CWC meeting.
Congress Working Committee meeting has begun. The Congress is likely to announce the name of its next president after the crucial meeting. Names of Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge are doing the round to replace Rahul Gandhi.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has arrived to attend the crucial CWC meeting being held in New Delhi. The name of new party president is likely to be finalised during the meeting.
The Congress party last had a non-Gandhi president was almost two decades ago. Sitaram Kesri served as Congress president from 1996 to 1998 when Sonia Gandhi took the charge.
Congress Working Committee will meet shortly. Leaders will first be divided into five groups, and discussions on next party chief will be held with state unit leaders according to regions, sources say.
Rahul Gandhi had announced his decision to quit Congress president post in May following the drubbing in Lok Sabha elections, however, three months later, the party is yet to decide whom to pick its leader.
Congress sources say that Rahul Gandhi wants 'broader consultations' before a final decision with regard to naming party president.
Jharkhand Pradesh Congress chief Ajoy Kumar resigned from his post on Friday, accusing some colleagues of indulging in corrupt practices and promoting their own interests over the party's. Kumar, in his resignation letter to Rahul Gandhi said that even "worst criminals look better" than a few of his party colleagues. READ MORE HERE
Meanwhile, in more embarrassment for the Congress, the party's Supreme Court Unit of the AICC (All India Congress Committee) Legal, human rights and RTI department has come out in support of the Modi’s government decision to remove Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. READ MORE HERE
Names of veteran party leaders Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge are doing the rounds to replace Rahul Gandhi as the Congress president. However, the party is yet to finalise a name, sources said. READ MORE HERE