Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SHP)

New Delhi, Aug 23: Congress Working Committee (CWC) is holding a meeting on Monday, August 24 to raise issues regarding the internal crisis in the party. A letter signed by more than 20 top party leaders to Sonia Gandhi seeks to discuss the leadership issue present within the party.

CWC will be assembling for an online meeting on Monday, three weeks after a meeting witnessed the clash by leaders over the party's political decline.

The letter has been signed by members of parliament, former ministers and chief ministers and members of the CWC. The senior party leaders have said they are unhappy with "uncertainty" and "drift" in the party, along with demanding "honest introspection", "collective leadership", and stressing that the "youth are losing confidence" in the party.

Last month, Sanjay Jha had been sacked as spokesperson of the Congress after he publicly criticised the party for its handling of the Rajasthan crisis when the state government faced a revolt from Sachin Pilot. Last Monday, the Congress slammed a tweet by Sanjay Jha wherein he claimed that some 100 Congress leaders have written to Sonia Gandhi asking for a change in the political leadership.

Around 300 Congress leaders from all over the country, representing all regions and states are signatories to the letter, over and above the 23 seniors already in the public domain. Their names remain undisclosed as that would distract from the core message of the letter itself.

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) August 23, 2020

The Congress alleged that the "non-existent letter" was an attempt to divert attention from the Facebook controversy and was being circulated by 'BJP stooges'.

On Sunday morning, Jha called out the party spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, in a tweet for calling him a 'BJP stooge'. Sources in the party, however, said Jha's latest tweet is an attempt to preempt the meeting on Monday.

A year ago, Sonia Gandhi took charge as the interim president after her son Rahul Gandhi stood firm on his decision to resign as Congress chief after the party's miserable collapse in the Lok Sabha election for the second consecutive time.

The issues of the Congress leaders deepened as more number of leaders were unhappy with the way the party is being run.

According to sources, Sonia Gandhi (73) made it clear that she does not want to continue especially because of her health. There is a strong chorus within the party from those keen to see Rahul Gandhi return as Congress president and lead the party.

With Inputs from Agencies