NEW DELHI: With the top leadership of the Congress reaching out to members of the G-23 to iron out differences, both the factions seem to have arrived at a compromise to prevent a split in the grand old outfit.
According to leaders in the know of the matter, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to offer another Rajya Sabha term to the former leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad. Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda may be appointed as the chief of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee to quell the organisational crisis aggravated by the party’s humiliating defeat in the recent assembly elections.
“Things are moving towards positive directions and we are hopeful that soon, they will make peace because the ultimate agenda of both the parties is that the Congress should lead the country once again. The party leadership was always open to dialogue but on an appropriate platform. The only problem was the way they (the G 23) perceived it. According to me, discussions are on track. The way talks are being held, it seems that the crisis is going to end,” said a Delhi-based Congress leader.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had a closed-door meeting with Hooda on Thursday in which the latter sought a charge of the Haryana unit. After meeting with Rahul, Hooda straight away went to Azad’s place, where some members of the G-23 huddled once again in the evening. They reportedly discussed concrete proposals to strengthen the Congress.
Azad also met Gandhi on Friday at her residence. After the meeting, Azad said Sonia should continue as the president and that all members of Congress had decided this unanimously. “The meeting with Sonia Gandhi was good. All members of the Congress party decided unanimously that she should continue as the president, we just had some suggestions that were shared,” Azad told the reporters.
The head of an affiliated unit of the Congress said Azad’s statement after meeting Sonia had suggested a truce. “Honestly, the party doesn’t have much to offer at present. But Azad and Hooda have been a face in their respective states so they may be given positions,” said the leader.