Surjewala rushes to spare Rahul Gandhi's blushes; denies 'BJP collusion' charge & appeals

Minutes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi received severe backlash over claims that the 23 senior members who wrote a letter to party Interim President Sonia Gandhi were in ‘cahoots with the BJP’, Randeep Singh Surjewala has denied Rahul’s claims and asked people not to be misled by ‘false information.’

Making a U-turn from his previous allegation that party members who want Sonia Gandhi to step down are ‘colluding with the BJP’, Rahul’s camp has now defended the former party chief, terming it as ‘false media discourse.’ This comes even as Kapil Sibal pulled back his tweet slamming Rahul Gandhi after receiving a call from the latter.

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Following Rahul Gandhi's statement at the CWC meeting, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the signatories of the letter, even offered to resign if the claims were proven to be true. Kapil Sibal had hit out at Rahul for his remarks.

In an attempting to hold up what appears to be a crumbling party, Randeep Surjewala said the Congress members need to work together in fighting the “draconian Modi rule” rather than fighting and hurting each other.

READ | Rahul & Sonia Gandhi Cornered At CWC; '100 Leaders To Quit Cong' After BJP Collusion Claim

Rahul questions timing of the letter

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi also questioned the timing of the letter and asked why was the letter (over party leadership) sent at a time when Sonia Gandhi was admitted in the hospital. He said that the letter to Sonia Gandhi about party leadership was written at a time when the Congress government in Rajasthan was facing a crisis.

Sources said that at the beginning of the meeting, Sonia Gandhi asked the CWC to relieve her as interim party chief. However, ex-PM Manmohan Singh and AK Antony urged her to continue.

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Sonia Gandhi asked CWC members "to begin deliberations towards the process of transition to relieve her from the duty of party chief", sources said. 

The crucial meeting is being held after a controversy erupted over a letter by more than 20 senior leaders calling for 'full time' active leadership, sweeping reforms and raising questions about the party's condition and direction, as well as demanding the election of the CWC.

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