Curious case of Rahul's absence from Congress Steering Committee meet

More than Sonia’s, the absence of Rahul at the meeting was curious as he is considered the party’s face with the recently successful 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

The Gandhi family – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka – did not attend a crucial meeting of the Congress Steering Committee that decided on authorising party president Mallikarjun Kharge rather than conducting election to CWC as well as proposing far-reaching amendments to the party constitution.

More than Sonia’s, the absence of Rahul at the Friday morning meeting was curious as he is considered the party’s face with his “successful” Bharat Jodo Yatra that enhanced his image and one who has set the party’s ideological plank firmly on the anti-right front.

While a senior leader sought to project it as Rahul’s preference to reach Raipur with his mother Sonia on Friday afternoon, as she is not well, questions still remained as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not attend the meeting. Priyanka will reach Raipur on Saturday morning.

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There was no official word on the absence of Gandhi family at the meeting though there was a theory among a section of leaders that the family kept away from the meeting, as the proposal was to come up before the meeting to provide a permanent seat to former presidents at the CWC. Sonia and Rahul, however, attended a meeting of the Subjects Committee in the evening.

Another theory was that the family, especially Rahul, did not want to be seen as being driving leaders to a particular decision on the CWC. Rahul had earlier batted for elections to the CWC.

However, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh told a press conference that there was no consultation with the Gandhis during the meeting with regards to the decisions taken. “There was no video conferencing…no Zoom meeting (as reported by some),” he said.

At the meeting, sources said, senior leaders Digvijaya Singh and Ajay Maken as well as Abhishek Manu Singhvi batted for elections to the CWC.

Soon after Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal provided an outline of what could be the proceedings of the Plenary, including possible schedule for CWC elections, sources said Pramod Tiwari said that conducting elections would not be feasible.

Digvijaya Singh who spoke after Tiwari was of the opinion that elections could be held to the CWC but left it to the president to decide. However another leader Subirami Reddy said that election could lead to trouble in the party, sources said Maken disagreed with it asking how elections could create problems. Singhvi is learnt to have said that there should be elections, if not now but after 2024 polls.

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Senior leader Anand Sharma, who had earlier joined the G-23 to demand election to the CWC, batted for a consensus on the issue while P Chidambaram, who recently favoured elections, did not speak on the issue though his views were sought on the issue.

Asked whether election would have enthused cadre, a senior leader said unlike the demand for election to Congress president post, there was no such clamour for it. “There was a ‘maahol’ (atmosphere) but that ‘maahol’ is missing. We showed our intention that we do not shy away from elections through presidential polls. So leaders and workers are happy,” he said.

The overwhelming view in the party is also that an election should be avoided at this juncture as it could deepen the divisions in the party, which is headed to crucial Assembly elections in Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the leader said.