'We are G-23, not ji huzoor-23'

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing crisis in Punjab Congress, senior party leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday took a dig at the leadership saying that the "G-23 leaders will never leave the party and go anywhere else".

"In Congress, there is no elected president now. Who is taking calls? We don't know who is taking decisions in the party," said senior party leader Kapil Sibal while raising many questions over the party leadership.

"I believe that one of my senior colleagues has perhaps written or is about to write to Congress president to immediately convene a CWC so that a dialogue can take place as to why we are in this state," he told reporters.

"I'm speaking to you (the media) on behalf of those Congressmen who wrote the letter in August last year and are waiting for the actions to be taken by our leadership in respect of the election of the office of the president, to CWC and central election committee," he said.

"We (leaders of G-23) are not the ones who will leave the party and go anywhere else. It is ironic. Those who were close to them (party leadership) have left and those whom they don't consider to be close to them are still standing with them," Sibal said.

"We are G-23, definitely not Ji Huzoor-23. We will keep raising issues," said Sibal while taking a dig at the Gandhis without naming them.

"We won't leave the ideology of the party or go anywhere else. The Congress is the only party that can save this republic because the present dispensation is destroying the foundations of our

republic," he said.

Referring to the crisis in Punjab, Sibal said, "A border state where this is happening to Congress party means what? It is an advantage to ISI and Pakistan. We know the history of Punjab and the rise of extremism there… Congress should ensure that they remain united."

However, there has been no official statement issued by Congress in response to the questions raised by Sibal.

However, reacting to Sibal's charges, Congress leader Ajay Maken said that Sibal, who helmed various ministries in the Congress-led UPA government over the years, should not degrade the organisation that gave him an identity.

"Sonia Gandhiji had ensured that Kapil Sibal becomes a minister in Union Cabinet despite not having organisational background. Everyone in the party is being heard. Want to tell Sibal and others that they shouldn't degrade the organisation that gave them an identity," Maken said.