Congress leader Jitin Prasada, in an exclusive interview to news agency PTI, said that the letter from 23 leaders to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has been ‘misconstrued’, and it did not seek any leadership change in the party.
“Letter was written with the sole purpose of suggesting how to reinvigorate and revitalise the party, and introspect for galavnising the organisation. It was not to undermine the top leadership. I had stated this at the Congress Working Committee meeting as well,” Prasada told PTI.
Prasada is one of the 23 leaders who signed the letter asking for an organisational overhaul in the party.
Commenting on the allegations levelled by a unit of the Uttar Pradesh Congress, the former Union Minister said “Lakhimpur Kheri DCC resolution could be result of local instigation of rival factions.”
“These are small matters which happen in every democratic party and I bear no grudge against anyone as everyone is part of the Congress family,” the former Union Minister said.
“Have Full Faith in the Leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi”
This comes two days after a unit of Uttar Pradesh Congress demanded action against Jitin Prasada for signing the “dissent letter”
As per the Uttar Pradesh unit’s resolution “Prasada is [the] only person from Uttar Pradesh to have signed the letter. His family history has been against the Gandhi family and his father the late Jitendra Prasad proved it by fighting elections against Sonia Gandhi.”
“I have full faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and they have full faith in me,” Prasada told PTI
Congress Letter Row
On Sunday, 23 August, Prasada, along with 22 other signatories that including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal and Shashi Tharoor, had written to Sonia Gandhi, seeking a full time leadership in the party, as well other organisational changes.
Sonia Gandhi responded that she is ready to step down as the party chief and the party should choose a new president.
Sonia Gandhi took over as interim chief in 2019, after Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post, following the Congress’ devastating defeat in Lok Sabha elections.
In the Congress Working Committee meet on 24 August, Rahul Gandhi reportedly slammed the letter criticising the Congress leadership, but the party leaders later denied that he accused the signatories of the letter of “colluding” with the BJP.
Later, it was decided that Sonia Gandhi will continue as the interim president of the party.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)