Ambika Soni seeks 'strict action' against 23 dissenters seeking revamp of Congress: Source

Amid leership battle in Congress on Monday, senior CWC member and Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni has demanded strict action against 23 signatories who wrote a letter demanding 'structural change' in party. 23 signatories include Ghulam Nabi Az, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rajender Kaur Bhattal, M. Veerappa Moily, Prithviraj Chavan, P.J. Kurian, Ajay Singh, Renuka Chaudhary, and Milind Deora -  belonging from Congress' 'old guard ' and 'young guard' (i.e Rahul Gandhi supporters). Apart from se signatories, over 300 Congress workers support it.

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What do dissenters seek?

dissenters wrote to party's interim-Chief Sonia Gandhi emphasising need for active revival of party and raised questions about party's condition and direction, demanding an internal election to CWC even at state levels, formation of an Independent Election Authority, and institutional leership mechanism, full-time leership at helm. five-p letter - drafted by two senior leers (reportedly Shashi Tharoor), seeks to elect a 'n-Gandhi' chief as pointed out by dissenting leers in CWC meeting. 

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Rahul Vs Sonia battle in CWC

Currently, at CWC meeting, sources report that party has split into two camps - one supporting Sonia Gandhi as chief, or backing Rahul Gandhi as chief. Sources report that Sonia aides like - Kamal Nath, Manmohan Singh, AK Antony, KC Venugopal have backed Sonia to continue chief, but or leers like - Ahmed Patel, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, Salman Khurshid and most state-level chiefs have called for Rahul Gandhi to take over as Congress chief - with Ahmed Patel officially proposing it in meeting. Both Gandhis have allegedly refused - Sonia Gandhi has insisted on stepping down while Rahul Gandhi has reportedly remained mum on issue. 

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An all-out war between some of signatories - Ghulam Nabi Az and Kapil Sibal and Wayan MP occured at CWC meeting. Rahul Gandhi allegedly said that dissenters were 'in cahoots with BJP', which prompted Sibal to lash out and Az to reportedly offer to resign. While both Sibal and Az have maintained that Rahul Gandhi did t say such a thing in meeting or orwise, Az has maintained that he is willing to resign if allegation is proved by any of Congress leers. former Congress chief allegedly feels that party members should have discussed issues in CWC and t to media, allegedly betraying party.

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