Start dialogue with like-minded parties, G-23 tells Sonia Gandhi

The Group of 23 leaders who have been seeking systemic changes within the Congress are likely to meet party chief Sonia Gandhi today. The grouping had met senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and deliberated upon the party's humiliating defeat in the recently-concluded assembly elections.

Interestingly, more leaders who were not part of the original G-23 attended the dinner meeting at Azad's residence. This included leaders like former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, former Gujarat chief minister Shankar Singh Vaghela and former Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurian.

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Sources said that during the four-hour-long meeting, the leaders have urged the party high command to initiate talks with like-minded forces to form a credible alternative to the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the leaders said that the only way forward for the party is to take up a model of inclusive leadership and decision-making at all levels.

Stating that it was essential to strengthen the party to oppose the BJP, it is necessary to strengthen the Congress party, the grouping demanded that the party initiates dialogue with other like-minded forces.

According to sources, Azad reached out to the Congress president and communicated the grouping's views to her and reportedly assured her that he and other party leaders will support her in strengthening the party.

The grouping, however, sidestepped the issue of leadership at the dinner meeting. And there seems to be some difference of opinion within the G-23 ranks.

To note, at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Sunday, Azad and Anand Sharma had endorsed Sonia Gandhi's leadership. The meeting was convened. But, Kapil Sibal had been extremely critical of the leadership in the aftermath of the five-state assembly elections. Sibal had gone to the extent of saying that the Gandhis should step aside and give a chance to some other leader to lead the party.