NEW DELHI: With Sonia Gandhi completing one year as the Congress interim chief on August 10, she is expected to get another term as her son and ex-party president Rahul Gandhi still showing no willingness to for a second stint even as he continues to play a key role running the party affairs.
Several senior leaders and MPs have repeatedly demanded that Rahul should lead the party but the mother-son duo is silent on the issue.
Some have criticised the delay in having a full-time chief and how that is impacting the party’s functioning amid growing differences between leaders and party cadre in several states. “It is most likely that she (Sonia) will continue to be as interim chief,” said a senior leader.
A reluctant Sonia took over as interim chief after Rahul resigned taking responsibility for the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha election. As per the party constitution, the AICC shall meet at least once a year but it hasn’t met for the last two years. The party was supposed to hold a session in April but could not due to the Covid-19 situation. This also delayed a decision on a new chief.
A section of leaders have said that if Rahul is not interested in leading, then the party should call for internal elections to elect a new chief. “He may not be leading the party officially but he is part of all major decisions and key meetings,” said another leader.