Opinion | How Arun Jaitley’s words about Congress proved to be prophetic

“Congress Party, as a ‘headless chicken’, is further consolidating its alienation from the people of India. Rahul Gandhi said at the meeting that he was pained by the letter, “because she is also my mother and you chose to attack her at this weak moment.” What was the letter that the ‘group of 23’ including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Veerappa Moily, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Prithviraj Chavan, Shashi Tharoor, Mukul Wasnik, Jitin Prasada, and others had written? Calling for the party to elect a new “full-time, visible” president amounted to mounting a challenge to Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. The working committee that discussed the issue for seven hours ultimately decided to continue with the Sonia-Rahul leadership with a stern message that “no one will be permitted to undermine or weaken the party and its leadership at this juncture.” In her closing remarks, Sonia Gandhi said she held no “ill-will” towards the letter writers. “I am hurt, but they are my colleagues, bygones are bygones, let us work together.” The working committee resolution moved by Dr Manmohan Singh, said, “The CWC…unanimously resolved to strengthen the hands of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in every possible way”.