Sonia meets 3 G23 leaders in peace effort, they tell her don’t rely on select few

Sources said they told her the leadership should not rely on a select few to run the affairs of the party and must establish a collective decision-making model.

In another reconciliatory gesture, Sonia is learnt to have congratulated Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the key leaders of the G23, over the phone after he received the Padma Bhushan.

She had met Azad last week.

Rahul Gandhi, on his part, had a frank discussion with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
The rapprochement efforts by Sonia are seen as an attempt by her to cool tempers and not let the situation get out of hand.

To quell the discontent, some of the G23 leaders could be accommodated and given organisational responsibilities; Sonia, however, is learnt to have told the three leaders that a major surgery — in other words, a massive overhaul — is not possible now, given that a new president is to be elected in August-September.

“Minor surgeries”, however, still seem possible.

Sources said the leaders flagged several issues related to the functioning and decision-making of the party.

They told her that the leadership’s “preference for a few leaders” when it comes to handing out organisational assignments was undesirable.

While the G23’s old demands — elections to the Congress Working Committee in line with the party constitution, revival of the Parliamentary Board, and putting in place an elected Central Election Committee (the body which finalises and approves the party’s candidates) — were, of course, discussed, sources said the practice of appointing district Congress presidents from Delhi was flagged as a point of concern.

The group of 23 leaders had originally written to Sonia in 2020, asking the leadership to adopt a model of “collective and inclusive leadership and decision-making at all levels” — a demand aimed at checking the trend of unilateral decisions by the Gandhis.

Sources said Sonia responded positively to their suggestions and agreed that there was a need for a change in the way the party functions now to take on the challenges. “It was a very productive dialogue,” one of the leaders said.

One of the leaders told Sonia that the party cannot function the way it is now, saying there has to be a “newness” in its approach.

Sonia will likely meet some more leaders of the G23 in the coming days.

While some of these leaders said Sonia is trying to shield Rahul Gandhi, most of the members of the group were appreciative of the efforts being taken by her.

“She is a unifier. None of us have any problem with her. She is very affectionate. Her style is to take everyone together. After all, we are one family,” another leader said.

A senior AICC office-bearer said the leadership could revive the Parliamentary Board, which will be tasked with taking all key organisational and policy decisions, and accommodate some of the G23 leaders to end the criticism over unilateral decisions.

While Sharma is the deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha, Tewari is a Lok Sabha member. Tankha, too, is a member of the Upper House.