'Congress is only safe in Sonia Gandhi or Rahul's hands': Adhir Chowdhury slams dissenters

Disapproving of dissent within Congress, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury appealed to Sonia Gandhi to continue as party president. According to him, party's future was safe only in hands of Sonia Gandhi or her son Rahul. He alleged that some party leaders were deliberately attempting to weaken Congress and derail Gandhi family's efforts to take on  Modi government. Chowdhury accused dissenters of raising "bogey" of a leadership crisis at behest of some interested parties.

Recalling that  Rae Bareli MP's leadership propelled  United Progressive Alliance to victory in 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he contended that Gandhi family has never been hungry for power. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha claimed that Congress president systematically delivered ecomic and social growth with "Dr. Manmohan Singh by her side to lead government". Maintaining that combined energies of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi made for a "winning combination", he opined that Congress workers and leaders should rejoice in this "potent formula". 

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Leadership in Congress

Sonia Gandhi is longest-serving president of Congress party. After being at helm of affairs for 19 years which witnessed Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) emerging victorious in 2004 as well as 2009 Lok Sabha elections, her son Rahul Gandhi assumed charge in December 2017. A series of defeats in state elections combined with disastrous performance of Congress in 2019 General elections, Rahul Gandhi anunced his decision to step down. After attempts to persuade him to take back his resignation failed, Sonia Gandhi assumed interim charge in August 10, 2019. 

Read: Congress Vs Congress: Leaders Slam Letter Signed By 23 Seniors Seeking 'structural Change'

Leaders call for sweeping changes

As per suspended Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha, more than 300 leaders representing all regions and states are signatories to letter in question. Some of senior leaders who have reportedly signed letter include Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari, Milind Deora, Mukul Wasnik, Jitin Prasada, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Prithviraj Chavan. y stressed that uncertainly over leadership and drift in party have weakened Congress and demoralized workers. letter reportedly mentioned many suggestions such as need for a full-time leadership available at national and state headquarters, conducting elections at all levels including Congress Working Committee and state level, formation of an Independent Election Authority, and institutional leadership mechanism to guide party's revival. 

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