Congress may hold CWC by month-end to discuss internal issues: Sources

The Congress Working Committee is likely to meet by the end of the month amid demands by several leaders including those from the G-23 dissident group to hold internal deliberations on the "turmoil" within the party and multiple desertions taking place, sources said on Wednesday.

Even though no date has been set, the sources said the CWC, the party's apex decision-making body, may meet this month to discuss the internal matters of the party.

The party sources said Sonia Gandhi has already indicated that the meeting of the CWC will be convened soon and internal issues will be debated.

Senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal, who are part of a group of 23 leaders (G-23) seeking organisational revamp, have demanded that a meeting of the CWC be convened immediately to discuss internal party issues like the spate of defections from the party and the turmoil in many state units including Punjab.

Azad had also written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in this regard, demanding the convening of the CWC meeting. He has said that the party should welcome suggestions and not suppress them.

Sibal had also recently raised questions on the decision-making process in the party in the absence of a regular president and demanded a dialogue where all senior leaders would be heard.

While Azad and some other G-23 leaders are part of the CWC, Sibal is not.

The Congress is also to elect its new regular president and the election schedule is likely to be discussed at the meeting.