Shiv Sena warns ally Congress after CWC mess; tells Rahul & Sonia to rein in their flock

Lashing out at its ally Congress amid its internal tussle, Shiv Sena its mouthpiece Saamana has said that India needs a viable opposition and grand-old party's members should t revolt in Maharashtra. Saamana mentioned that 11 Congress leers have pointed out misdoings of Uddhav Thackeray government and have sat on a strike. It ded that Congress leers have yet to inform interim party chief Sonia Gandhi about development.

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Sena said that inste of protesting against MVA government which was formed after consent of ir central leerships, Congress should focus on solving ir internal crisis, so that country gets an Opposition it needs. Sena said that if Congress leers in Maharashtra revolt against MVA government, BJP will take undue vant of situation. It also ded that though Uddhav Thackeray is capable of tackling political chaos, responsibility to pacify Congress leers lies with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.  

RE | Sonia Gandhi to continue as Congress interim-chief till fresh AICC elections are held

Monday drama in Congress

23 leers including likes of Ghulam Nabi Az, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Milind Deora, h written 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, seeks to elect a 'n-Gandhi' chief as pointed out by dissenting leers in CWC meeting. Apart from signatories, over 300 Congress workers support it.

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As CWC meeting began on Monday, sources reported that Sonia Gandhi offered to step down, whereas Rahul Gandhi expressed his displeasure at dissenting letter. An all-out war broke out between Ghulam Nabi Az, Kapil Sibal and Wayan MP after latter said that dissenters were 'in cahoots with BJP', which prompted Sibal to lash out on Twitter and Az to offer to resign. However, first Sibal and later Az withdrew ir statements after assurances from Rahul Gandhi, with Surjewala and some ors attempting to deny Rahul Gandhi h ever me allegations of collusion. Almost 8 hours after meeting began, concluding remarks of Rahul Gandhi at CWC were that he was pained to see letter as his mor was in hospital - something he h said earlier as well.

temporary end to day-long drama came with Sonia Gandhi continuing to be 'interim' chief of grand-old party, till fresh elections are held by AICC in next six months. A 5-point resolution waxing lyrical about Sonia and Rahul Gandhi was issued, wholly n-commensurate to scope and size of meeting. Question marks still remain over divide within Congress ranks as a number of leers who h been signatories to letter huddled at Ghulam Nabi Az's residence after meeting.

RE | Sonia Gandhi remains Chief: Here's a timeline of how Congress' crisis on Monday unfolded