Not dissenters but ‘proponents of revival’, say Cong letter writers

NEW DELHI: The “dissenters” do not seem to have given up even after the Congress Working Committee decided on continuation of Sonia Gandhi as President for the time being, with the signatories to the letter, that had sought a “full-time and and visible leadership”, insisting they are actually “proponents of revival” of the party as the action now shifted to social media.

Party’s Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha has slammed those who are calling the 23 senior leaders who were signatories to the letter “dissenters”. “Friends we are not dissenters but proponents of revival :: the letter was not a challenge to leadership but a parchment of action to strengthen the party :: universally truth is best defence whether it be Court or Public Affairs :: history acknowledges the brave & not the timid,” he said in a tweet.

Responding to this, former Union Minister Anand Sharma, who was also a signatory, wrote: “Well said. The letter was written with the best interest of the party in our hearts and conveying shared concerns over the present environment in the country and sustained assault on the foundational values of the Constitution.”

Stressing that India needs a “strong opposition” to confront the BJP, Sharma, in his tweet, maintained that “suggestions for party’s renewal made in sincerity is not dissent” and that he wished all colleagues had read the letter.

Mukul Wasnik, another of the signatories, too joined the chorus. “Well said. Sooner than later those who saw the letter as an offence will also realise that the issues raised are worth consideration,” he said. Kapil Sibal too spoke out. “It’s not about a post It’s about my country which matters most,” the former Union Minister said.

IANS has reported that a day after the tumultuous Congress Working Committee (CWC)meeting, the dissenters are still unhappy because in the din, the contents of the letter were not discussed at all. At the CWC meet, which lasted seven hours, a majority of the members focussed on the timing of the letter and connected it with the loyalty factor as they cornered four of the signatories, who were present.

However, more Congress leaders have joined the debate. Veteran leader Anil Shastri raised the issue of inaccessibility while P.C. Chacko said there should be a course correction in the leadership.

Meanwhile, to quell discontent, the Congress is likely to appoint a panel of senior leaders to assist Sonia Gandhi till she is at the helm of affairs, sources said. Sources say that the party may appoint a panel of four persons to take important decisions.

The CWC, the party’s highest decision-making body, which met on Monday, in the wake of the letter, authorised the Congress President to affect “necessary organisational changes” that she may deem appropriate to take on the challenges.