Congress likely to appoint four-member panel to assist Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: The Congress likely to appoint a panel of senior leaders to assist interim chief Sonia Gandhi till she is at the helm of affairs, say sources for though the party maintains all is well but the discontent, evinced by a letter seeking a leadership change, may not have been fully doused.

Sources say that the party may appoint a panel of four persons to take important decisions.

The Congress working Committee, the party's highest decision making committee, which met on Monday, in wake of the letter seeking change, has authorised the Congress President to affect "necessary organisational changes" that she may deem appropriate to take on the challenges.

"In the light of the above deliberations and conclusions, the CWC unanimously requests Sonia Gandhi to continue to lead the Congress until such time as circumstances will permit an AICC session to be convened," party General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal said, after the key meeting.

Hinting at the committee, several leaders said that Sonia Gandhi will be assisted by four persons so that consultation process is more wide than what she had done in past while going for treatment abroad.

However, chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "The organisational reconstitution is at her (Sonia Gandhi's) discretion. How she will exercise her discretion, is neither for General Secretary, Organisation nor for me to say at this juncture."

As Congress has decided to go for AICC session, this means that Rahul Gandhi may contest organisational elections.

"Millions and millions of ordinary Congress workers have, on innumerable occasions, raised their voice to say that they want Rahul Gandhi to come back and take over the Presidentship of the INC.... that is a sentiment that was also again expressed today by all members of the Congress Working Committee," Surjewala said.

"But, as we are all aware that we are a democratic party and the election will be held for the next President in an AICC session: dates for which at an appropriate time will be fixed by General Secretary Organisation. And it is the wish of everyone, including myself that Rahul Gandhi should take over. But, I cannot predict what will happen in an AICC session because that is the unanimous opinion of all Congress workers and leaders," he added.