CWC: Rahul questions timing of dissenters' letter seeking leadership change

New Delhi: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday targeted the party dissenters and questioned the timing of the letter which was sent to interim chief Sonia Gandhi seeking leadership change, even as Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Chief Ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel requested him to take over as party chief.

Congress sources said that while addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision making body of the party, Rahul Gandhi questioned the timing of the letter and said, "What was the reason to write a letter when Sonia Gandhi was admitted in hospital and when the party was fighting the political crisis in Rajasthan."

He also criticised leaders for going public with issues concerning party, says it is CWC and not media where we discuss, said sources.

Sonia Gandhi was admitted in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on July 30 for routine checkup and was discharged on August 2. While the Rajasthan political crisis began on July 11 when former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot rebelled against the party leadership. The Rajasthan crisis was finally taken care of by the top leadership on August 11.

Haryana Congress leader Kumari Selja also targeted the dissenters for writing the letter seeking leadership change and called the leaders who wrote the letter "agents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)".

With many Congress leaders openly demanding Rahul Gandhi to be brought back as the party chief without any further delay, the party made it clear that the CWC meeting will discuss the issue.

(With Inputs from IANS)