G-23 seeks speedy election of new Cong President, summoning of AICC session

The Congress' 'G-23' leaders, at their meeting held on Friday after the party's debacle in the latest round of Assembly polls, are understood to have sought that there be no more delay in electing the new party President while an AICC session should be called to discuss the poll results, sources said.

The meeting was held at senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's residence here, and was attended by Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma and Akhilesh Prasad Singh while some other leaders joined virtually.

As per sources, the leaders sought accountability for the poll debacle be fixed and changes be made in the composition of the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body.

The issue of organisational polls was also discussed.

The meeting was held a day after results came out for Assembly elections held in five states, with the party losing its stronghold Punjab, failing to mount a serious challenge in Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand, besides getting virtually demolished in Uttar Pradesh.

There is simmering tension within the Congress after the poll debacle, and the G-23 leaders are reportedly miffed with the style of functioning of the party leadership.

One prominent leader said that "it is time that the first family of Congress steps aside and paves the way for a new leadership or act in tandem with the party leaders and be available 24x7 for party work, or else there won't be a revival of the Congress in the country".

The leaders pointed out that the present set-up is non-performing and it has to be changed as the party is not "someone's fiefdom" and everyone has a stake in it.