Scores of Congress activists on Saturday, 10 August, protested outside the party headquarters, demanding Priyanka Gandhi Vadra be made the party president, amid a crucial Congress Working Committee meet to decide Rahul Gandhi's successor.
"Priyanka Gandhi should be made the party chief as she has the capability to keep the party together," said Jagdish Sharma, the worker who led the protestors.
However, Rahul Gandhi made it clear that no Gandhi family member will be made the party chief. The meeting to elect the new chief began at 11 am. It is being attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior party leaders Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Ahmed Patel, P Chidambaram and others.
After attending the meeting for a brief period, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi told ANI that “We (She and Rahul Gandhi) will not be a part of the consultation process (to decide next party chief) and that is why we are leaving.”
The CWC has been divided into five region-wise groups to hold talks with the state in-charges, state chiefs, AICC department chairman, party MPs and build a consensus on the name of the new party chief.
The name will be finalised on Sunday, after all the five groups have submitted their recommendations, said a senior party leader.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)