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CWC meet Highlights: Rahul's resignation accepted, Sonia back at helm
The CWC then decided to name Sonia Gandhi as the interim party chief.
New Delhi, Aug 11: Sonia Gandhi was named interim Congress president on Saturday, returning at the helm after almost 20 months. The announcement was made on Saturday night after Congress Working Committee (CWC) accepted Rahul Gandhi's resignation during its second meeting of the day. A number of leaders, including state chiefs and MPs, backed Rahul Gandhi to continue on the post despite his refusal to reconsider his resignation. However, he did not budge from his stand of quitting as party chief. The CWC then decided to name Sonia Gandhi as the interim party chief.
Here are the highlights of CWC meet and what transpiredthe entire day to pick New Congress Chief
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“The CWC considered the views of PCC presidents, CLP leaders, AICC secretaries and members of parliament. The CWC unanimously resolved that Shri Rahul Gandhi should continue as Congress president, as desired by all who were consulted today, and requested him to accept this decision. However, he declined to withdraw his resignation,” the party said in a statement later.
“Consequently, the CWC unanimously resolved to request Sonia Gandhi to take over as interim president pending the election of a regular president by the AICC," it added.
The party's top decision-making body will discuss reports of five groups, formed earlier in the day, to scrutinise names of potential successor to Rahul Gandhi. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi recused themselves from the consultation process saying they they cannot be part of it as they have been Congress presidents in the past and would not like the opinion of the party leaders to be influenced in any manner.
PTI reports: At the crucial meeting, the report of five regional groups formed for wider consultation on the issue will be placed, with sources saying there was a consensus on Rahul Gandhi continuing as party chief. However, Gandhi had in the morning asserted that he would not take back his resignation, after CWC members unanimously urged him to reconsider. As the CWC members met at around 9 pm at the AICC headquarters here, Rahul Gandhi did not initially join the leaders, but sources said he was expected to attend the meeting later.
The northern region group included Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jyotiraditya Scindia and P Chidambaram. The western region group was has leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, A K Antony and Motilal Vora. The group for the southern region included Manmohan Singh, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik.
The CWC group for the northeast region included top party leaders such as Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni and former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat. The group for eastern region included AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, ex-Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and former Union minister Kumari Selja.
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