New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi communicated to the ‘rebel’ Congress leaders in no uncertain terms that she was firmly in charge of the party.
“I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands-on Congress President,” she said at Congress Working Committee meeting on Saturday.
In a message meant for the disgruntled G23 leaders, who have often questioned the party’s functioning and recent decisions, Sonia added: “I have always appreciated frankness… There is no need to speak to me through the media.”
The likes of Kapil Sibal have indicated in recent times that while Sonia Gandhi is the interim president of Congress, key decisions seem to be taken by Rahul Gandhi and a few others.
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In a further snub to disgruntled leaders, Sonia observed that her younger colleagues have taken “leadership roles” in taking the party’s policies and programmes to the people.
Sonia said that the party has never let issues of public importance and concern go unaddressed.
“You are aware that I have been taking them up with the Prime Minister as have Dr Manmohan Singh and Rahul (Gandhi) ji. I have been interacting with like-minded political parties regularly. We have issued joint statements on national issues and coordinated our strategy in Parliament as well,” she said.
“Let us all have a free and honest discussion… What should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC,” she issued a note of caution.
