The five-page letter demanded a "full-time, "effective leadership" (File)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said a letter sent by over 20 Congress leaders to the interim chief Sonia Gandhi demanding sweeping structural changes within the party, was "unbelievable" and it shouldn't have been leaked to the media. He said while he wants Mrs Gandhi to continue, her son Rahul Gandhi must come forward to take the reins of the party if she has made up her mind to quit.
"News of 23 Senior most Congress leaders writing letter to Hon'ble CP is unbelievable and if it is true - it's very unfortunate 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," he tweeted.
"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," he adds.
The letter, dated August 7, signed by senior leaders like Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prithviraj Chavan, Vivek Tankha and Anand Sharma, sought sweeping changes in the organization.
The five-page letter demanded a "full-time, "effective leadership" that will be "visible" and "active" in the field, sources said.
One of the leaders who signed the letter told NDTV: "We have not criticised Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, but we want a complete overhaul of the Congress party in its management and style".
After the debacle in the 2019 general election, Rahul Gandhi - who had been appointed as the party's chief in 2017 - stepped down, taking responsibility for the defeat. Months later, Mrs Gandhi returned as the temporary chief after the party couldn't arrive at a consensus on other leaders.
Mrs Gandhi, sources say, have asked the party members to find her replacement after which she will step down.
Sources have told NDTV that Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are unwilling to be the party chief.