I'm full-time, hands-on Congress prez, says Sonia

New Delhi: "I am a full-time and hands-on Congress president," Sonia Gandhi asserted at the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday, in a clear message to the G23 leaders, some of whom have raised issues regarding lack of leadership and absence of an elected party chief.

During her address at the party's highest decision-making body, Gandhi said the revival of the party can only happen with "unity, self-control, discipline and by keeping the party's interests paramount".

In a mild reprimand to those G23 leaders who have been airing their criticism of the party in the media, the Congress chief said she has always appreciated frankness and "there is no need to speak to me through the media".

"So, let us all have a free and honest discussion. But what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC," she said in her opening remarks at the meeting.

Her remarks came after senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had recently said at the moment, there was no president in the party, so it was not known who was taking decisions.

Ghulam Nabi Azad and Sibal, both members of the 'Group of 23 leaders', who sought major organisational overhaul last year, had also demanded an early meeting of the CWC to discuss the declining fortunes of the party in the wake of recent defections.

At the meeting, Gandhi also placed on the table the party's organisational election schedule before the CWC, with sources indicating that the process could be long-drawn and the elections to the post of Congress president will be held in September 2022.

"I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands-on Congress president," Sonia Gandhi asserted.

The 74-year-old leader also pointed out that in the last two years, a large number of Congress leaders, particularly the younger ones, have taken on leadership roles in communicating party policies and programmes to the people.

Election of the new Congress president will be held between August 21 and September 20 next year, the party announced on Saturday after the crucial meeting of its working committee which approved the schedule for organisational polls at various levels.

After a nearly five-hour-long CEC meeting, Congress general secretary (oganisation)K C Venugopal announced the election schedule which includes a massive membership drive for the polls starting from November 1, 2021 and will go on till March 31, 2022.

Venugopal also stated that election of PCC presidents, vice presidents, treasurers, PCC executives and AICC members by PCC general body will be held between July 21-August 20, 2022.

Election of Congress president will be held between August 21-September 20, 2022, he said.