At CWC Meet, Rahul Gandhi Says 'Will Consider' Becoming Congress Chief Again

The CWC meeting had been called to deliberate upon the political scenario and upcoming Assembly polls.

Congress Party President (interim) Sonia Gandhi, along with party leader Rahul Gandhi, arrived at the AICC office in the national capital on Saturday, 16 October, ahead of the Congress Working Committee meeting.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Saturday, 16 October, party leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi said that he "will consider" becoming the party president again after the request of senior party leaders. He further stressed that he will need clarity from the leaders at the level of ideology.

As per reports by news agency ANI, several party leaders requested Gandhi to become the interim president till the polls.

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi while addressing the meeting condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government's attitude towards the ongoing farmers' agitation.

"It has been over a year since the ‘teen kaale kanoon’ were bulldozed through Parliament. We had done our best to have them subjected to legislative scrutiny but the Modi government was hell bent on getting them passed so that a few private companies could benefit... The shocking incidents at Lakhimpur-Kheri recently betray the mindset of the BJP, how it perceives the Kisan Andolan, how it has been dealing with this determined struggle by Kisans to protect their lives and livelihoods."

Sonia Gandhi

The CWC meeting, which was attended by 52 party leaders including Rahul Gandhi, had reportedly been called to deliberate upon the current political situation, the upcoming Assembly polls, and the party's organisational elections.

Five states – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand – are expected to go to polls in February-March 2022.

'Economy a Cause of Great Concern in Spite of Govt Propaganda': Sonia Gandhi at CWC Meet

In her opening remarks at the CWC meeting, Sonia Gandhi brought up the issues of elevated fuel prices, faltering economy, attacks on minority groups in Jammu and Kashmir, and border security.

"The economy continues to be a cause of great concern in spite of the government propaganda to make us believe that it is not. As we all know, the only answer the government seems to have for economic recovery is selling off national assets built with great effort over the decades," Gandhi said, in an attack on the Union government's asset monetisation policy.

"There has always been a broad consensus on foreign and neighbourhood policy in our country. But that consensus has been damaged because of the prime minister's continued reluctance to take the Opposition into confidence in any meaningful manner... The prime minister telling the opposition leaders last year that there had not been any occupation of our territory by China and his silence ever since is costing our nation dearly."

Sonia Gandhi

The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, and senior party leader P Chidambaram, among others.

'No Need to Speak to Me Through the Media': Sonia Gandhi

Speaking about the Congress' organisation and organisational elections, Gandhi said:

"The entire organisation wants a revival of the Congress. But this requires unity and keeping the party’s interests paramount. Above all, it requires self-control and discipline."

"In the last two years, a large number of our colleagues, particularly the younger ones, have taken on leadership roles in taking party policies and programmes to the people – whether it be the agitation of farmers, provision of relief during the pandemic, highlighting issues of concern to youth and women, atrocities on Dalits, adivasis and minorities, price rise, and the destruction of the public sector. Never have we let issues of public importance and concern go unaddressed," said the Congress president.

Further, Gandhi emphasised upon the need for free and honest discussion within the party.

"I have always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak to me through the media. So, let us all have a free and honest discussion. But what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC," she remarked.