THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bogged down by the ongoing drama in Rajasthan and the uncertainty over the party’s official candidate for the presidential poll, the Congress high command summoned veteran leader AK Antony to New Delhi on Tuesday.
It is learnt that Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi summoned the former union minister in his capacity as chairman of the AICC disciplinary committee. The move comes after the party sought explanation from MLAs loyal to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for skipping the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday and working towards thwarting the chances of Sachin Pilot to succeed Gehlot.
Before leaving, Antony, 81, rubbished rumours that he was tipped to succeed Sonia as the party’s national head. “I relocated to Thiruvananthapuram after bidding adieu from active politics. My health has not been very good after the pandemic,” he told reporters.
Issues plaguing party will be resolved: Antony
Antony also expressed confidence that the current issues plaguing the party would be resolved soon. It is learnt he will meet Sonia on Wednesday. Despite holding marathon talks at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi over the last few days, the high command has failed to resolve the crisis in Rajasthan that emerged after Gehlot loyalists objected to the national leadership’s move to make him the Congress president and choose Pilot as the CM.
With the presidential poll process also getting complex by the day, Sonia urged Antony to join her in addressing the crisis. Congress national general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal is already in New Delhi, reaching there on Monday after excusing himself from the Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala.