Sonia should lead the Congress, Rahul an alternative choice: Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that he strongly believes that Sonia Gandhi should continue to lead the party but if she has made up her mind then Rahul Gandhi should step forward and be the Congress President.

On Twitter, Gehlot wrote, "News of 23 senior most Congress leaders writing letter to Hon'ble CP (Congress President) is unbelievable and if it is true - it's very unfortunate, there was no need to go in media I strongly believe that Hon'ble CP Smt Sonia Gandhi ji should continue to lead the party at this crucial juncture where the fight is to save the ethos of our Democracy."

"She has always taken challenges head on. But if she has made up her mind -I believe @RahulGandhi should come ahead and be the Congress President as country faces the biggest challenge to save our Constitution -Democracy," the Rajasthan Chief Minister said in the tweet.

Earlier in the day, Assam Congress president Ripun Bora said he reiterated his demand to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to give the leadership of the party to Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared only of him.

"In an earlier video conference with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rajya Sabha MPs, I categorically appealed to Sonia Gandhi at this moment to give the leadership of Congress party to Rahul Gandhi as Narendra Modi is scared only of Rahul Gandhi," Assam Congress president Ripun Bora told ANI.

Just before the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday, an internal dispute has emerged regarding "leadership" issues in the party.

Reportedly several senior Congress leaders have written to party interim president Sonia Gandhi raising a 5-Point Agenda to revive the party, emphasising the need for active leadership in the party and raising questions about the party's condition and direction, as well as demanding the election of the Congress Working Committee.

According to sources, some members of the CWC, MPs and leaders wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi in which they have raised many questions and suggestions about the functioning of the party. It is being said that a five-page letter drafted by two senior leaders and then discussed and signed by others has not openly criticised either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi but it is being seen as a distrust and charge sheet against the party high command, especially Rahul Gandhi.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tiwari, Shashi Tharoor, Jitin Prasad, Veerappa Moily, Sandeep Dikshit, Pramod Tiwari, PJ Kurien are being named as signatories on this letter. However, none of these leaders are accepting that they are signatories to the communication. While the Congress has also denied that it has received any such letter, sources in the party said this exercise has been done from the state level where former PCC presidents are involved.

On the condition of anonymity, a leader involved in the process told ANI that the attempt is not against the leadership of Gandhis. "The group of leaders who have written the letter do not agree on all points but the party needs to discuss the issues and leadership issue should be finalised. If Rahul Gandhi is ready to accept the party president's post I will be the first person to welcome it wholeheartedly," the leader said.