Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, part of G23 leaders, praise Sonia for announcing elections for Congress president’s post

New Delhi: Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, both members of the Group of 23, on Saturday hailed the election schedule announced after the deliberations at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting and congratulated Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for scheduling polls at all levels of the organisation. Sources said even though the CWC meeting was constructive and held in a congenial atmosphere, the G23 leaders who had sought organisational overhaul last year, came under attack from a section of the party loyal to Rahul Gandhi. Leaders loyal to Gandhi criticised the G23 leaders for going public against the party and questioning the leadership. Sources said Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala led the attack against the G23 by hitting out at those who had raised doubts on the leadership and questioned the decision-making process in the party. Surjewala alleged that such attacks were aimed at weakening the party and strengthening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said he dared the leaders criticising the party to air their grievances openly in front of the top leadership and not talk behind their back. Surjewala asked those criticising the party in public to refrain from such voicing of opinion, saying they endorse Sonia Gandhi’s leadership in her presence but criticise her behind her back — a remark seen as aimed at Azad who praised Sonia Gandhi at the CWC meeting. Sources said Azad welcomed the election schedule and lauded Sonia Gandhi for announcing the polls for every level of the party organisation. This had been a major demand of the G23 leaders. Sharma also welcomed the party’s decision of holding a fresh membership drive and elections at every post from the block, district, state and national level. The CWC on Saturday decided that elections for the new Congress president would be held between 21 August and 20 September next year with a majority of party leaders urging Rahul Gandhi to assume the top post, a request he said he would consider.