Congress has no president, who is taking decisions, questions Kapil Sibal

New Delhi: The ripples of the tussle in Congress in Punjab were visible in Delhi on Wednesday as senior party leader Kapil Sibal launched an attack at the Congress leadership, saying they knew, yet did not know, who is taking decisions in the party as there is no elected president.

In an what appeared to be attack at interim president Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi, Sibal, in comments made in the wake of troubles in the party in Punjab, demanded the issues be discussed at a meeting which is “not on public platform”.

Hours later, a protest was held by Congress and Youth Congress workers outside his residence in Delhi’s Chandani Chowk, with roses and placards that said “Get well soon Kapil Sibal”.

Party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who along with Sibal is a part of a group of Congress leaders that has come to be known as the G23, also wrote a letter to Congress working President Sonia Gandhi demanding a meeting of the Congress Working Committee.

Sibal said he is talking on behalf of the G-23, a group of Congress leaders who have been demanding an overhaul in the party and elections to decide the next party president.

“Congress has no elected president right now, we know and yet we don’t know who is taking decisions,” said Sibal.

He said the leaders were “G-23”, not “Ji Huzoor 23” (Yes Sir 23) and added that they were with the party and wanted reforms.

“Why are people leaving? Maybe we should see whether it is our fault? We have to immediately call a CWC, at least so a dialogue can take place. We won’t leave the ideology of the party and go anywhere else. The irony of the Congress is that the chosen ones, those who are close to them (Gandhis) have left and those who they think are not close to them are still there,” Sibal said.

Asked if the attack was directed at Rahul Gandhi, he said, “We are not against anyone, we are with the party. Whatever is there should be discussed in the working committee”.

“Organisation should be strengthened, issues have to be addressed. But it will happen only if Congress is strengthened,” he said.

Several senior Congress leaders had been upset about the unceremonious exit of Captain Amarinder Singh after he resigned as the chief minister of Punjab saying that he felt ‘humiliated’.

Days later, Sidhu, Singh’s rival, also resigned as the chief of the party in the state on Tuesday, though his resignation has not yet been accepted.

Several other resignations also followed in the state in support of Sidhu, causing concern for the central leadership.

A number of Congress leaders have jumped ship to other parties. Prominent among young faces, Jyotiraditya Scindia and party leader in Uttar Pradesh Jitin Prasada joined the BJP, while Sushmita Dev, who was heading the women’s wind of the party went to the TMC.

The comments also come on a day when former Goa chief minister and former Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro joined the Trinamool Congress, and former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah amid speculations that he may join the party.

UNI