Ex-PM Manmohan wants Sonia to continue as Party President; CM Baghel backs Rahul: Sources

As Congress is gripped in a leership crisis in ongoing CWC meeting on Monday, 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.

Congress CWC Live Updates: Ahmed Patel proposes Rahul's name for Congress chief mid-revolt

Rahul Vs dissenters in CWC

While most Congress 52 senior members attending meeting insisted that Sonia Gandhi continue as interim-chief till Rahul Gandhi agrees to take over, both Gandhis have allegedly refused - Sonia Gandhi has insisted on stepping down while Rahul Gandhi has reportedly remained mum on issue. Apart from leership woes, all-out war between some of signatories - Ghulam Nabi Az and Kapil Sibal and Wayan MP. Rahul Gandhi allegedly said that dissenters were 'in cahoots with BJP', which prompted Sibal to lash out and Az to reportedly offer to resign. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has clarified that such statement was me by Gandhi.

former Congress chief allegedly feels that party members should have discussed issues in CWC and t to media. His camp feels that party was betrayed by senior Congress leers who wrote dissenting letter which has 23 signatories and over 300 Congress supporters. Sources report that 'Sonia Vs Rahul' battle is being perpetuated by Congress, while actual issue is to elect a 'n-Gandhi' chief or t, as pointed out by dissenting leers in CWC meeting.

Kamal Nath refuses to back Rahul Gandhi as party chief; says Sonia must continue: Sources

23 leers seek 'structural changes', Sonia offers to resign

Hinting at apparent turmoil within Grand old party, 23 senior leers 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 bears signatures of leers from Congress' 'old guard ' and 'young guard' (i.e Rahul Gandhi supporters). Leer of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Az, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari,  Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor, Jitin Pras, Veerappa Moily, Pramod Tiwari, PJ Kurien, Sandeep Dikshit, as per sources. 

Amid row, Rahul Gandhi feels 'dissenters betrayed Congress' by taking grouse to media

BJP's Shivraj Chouhan says 'Congress bound to sink' as Sonia Gandhi may resign as chief