Sonia Gandhi open for talks with every Congress leader, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury amid renewed calls for organisational overhaul

Congress President Sonia Gandhi is open for talks with every Congress leader, said party MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday. His comment comes after rebel Congress leaders on Wednesday said that the only way forward for the party is to adopt the model of "collective and inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels".

Speaking to news agency ANI, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "Sonia Gandhi is open for talks to every Congressman. When it's needed that we should fight together, some politicians (G23 leaders) are making statements against the party. If they've right intentions, why don't they talk to Sonia Gandhi."

Taking a dig at Kapil Sibal who openly criticized the Gandhis recently, Chowdhury said, "When these politicians were made ministers in (UPA) govt, did they ask that posts should be given considering democratic process? Everything was hunky-dory back then because we were in power. Political parties see ups & downs, that doesn't mean rebellion."

Earlier on Wednesday, the rebel Congress leaders met at Ghulam Nabi Azad's residence to deliberate on the "demoralizing outcome" of the recent results of the Assembly elections.

After the meeting they issued a joint statement. It read, "We the following members of the Congress Party met to deliberate on the demoralizing outcome of the recent results of the Assembly elections and the constant exodus of both our workers and leaders."

"We believe that the only way forward is for the Congress to adopt the model of collective and inclusive leadership and decision making at all levels," it added.

"In order to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is necessary to strengthen the Congress Party. We demand the Congress party to initiate dialogue with other likeminded forces to create a platform to pave the way for a credible alternative for 2024 and the next steps in this regard will be announced soon," it said.

As per the statement, the meeting was held in the knowledge of party chief Sonia Gandhi and "she was informed of the meeting when Azad and the party chief had a telephonic conversation on Tuesday to have a meeting on Thursday." The statement said that the meeting was called to inform the rest of the members about the discussion held in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and to decide on a further strategy.

(With ANI inputs)

Published on: Thursday, March 17, 2022, 07:03 PM IST