Published 23:07 IST, August 24th 2020
Chidambaram predicts brighter future for Congress, says 'discontent brings about change'
On Monday, August 24, Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram exuded confidence in Congress emerging stronger after 23 senior party leaders expressed their dissent.
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On Monday, Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram exuded confidence in Congress emerging stronger after 23 senior party leaders expressed their dissent. He maintained that the dissenting leaders are as fiercely opposed to BJP as former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. According to him, discontent was instrumental for change. Asserting that no one alleged that some Congress leaders were colluding with BJP, Chidambaram revealed that some issues had already been addressed by the party.
Those who wrote the letter certainly are as fiercely opposed to the BJP as I am or Mr Rahul Gandhi is. There is always discontent, in fact, it is some discontent which brings about change. Unless there is discontent, change won't happen: Congress leader P Chidambaram to ANI pic.twitter.com/3SOMW0Nzst
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020
High-octane drama at CWC meeting
At the beginning of the Congress Working Committee meeting, interim president Sonia Gandhi offered to resign. However, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and ex-Defence Minister urged her to continue as president of the Congress party. Speaking at the meeting, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi lamented that the dissenting letter had been sent at a time when his mother was in the hospital. Thereafter, he reportedly accused the signatories to the letter of colluding with BJP.
4 senior Congress leaders logged off from the CWC meeting in protest against the former party president's remarks. Sources revealed that Rahul Gandhi's camp has said that the details of the letter should not have been released to the media. It has also been alleged that the 23 dissenting members “betrayed” Congress by going to the media. After Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Azad objected to Gandhi's allegation, Congress went into damage control mode. According to sources, the Wayanad MP spoke to Sibal after which the latter decided to withdraw his tweet.
CWC resolution
The CWC resolution appreciated the role of Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul in taking on the Centre for its alleged inadequate response to crises such as COVID-19 and the Chinese aggression. Unanimously resolving to strengthen the hands of the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi, the CWC made it clear that no one can be permitted to weaken the party and its leadership at this juncture. It advised leaders to raise issues only in the party fora in the interest of discipline. Moreover, the CWC authorised the Congress president to make appropriate organizational changes. Finally, it decided that Sonia Gandhi will continue as the interim president at least until the next AICC session is convened.
23:07 IST, August 24th 2020