'Those who still have a grudge are free to talk to Sonia Gandhi'

Congress president Sonia Gandhi

More than a week after the letter bomb stoked a controversy in the Congress Working Committee meeting, where the dissenters were cornered by the loyalists, the issue has not died down as the dissenters are now speaking publicly. The Congress on Thursday reacted and said that those still nursing a grudge could speak to Sonia Gandhi.

The dissenters are said to be unhappy because the contents of the letter were not discussed at the meeting, and, instead, the signatories were targeted on the timing of the letter. They are demanding an introspection by the party.

Reacting to the reports, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "After Sonia Gandhi has listened to all the voices of dissent and said that she is willing to take everybody along, but, still if somebody has a problem they can go and talk to the Congress President".

A group of 23 Congress leaders had written a letter to the Congress President, asking her for sweeping reforms in the party and demanding elections to the CWC, which is the highest decision making body of the party.

After a stormy CWC meeting last week, the Congress had said that the CWC passed a resolution that intra-party issues "cannot be deliberated" through the media or in a public forum.

"The CWC urges and advises all concerned to raise such issues only in party fora in the interest of propriety and discipline," Congress leader K. C. Venugopal had said while reading out the resolution.

The CWC had authorised the Congress Interim President to effect the "necessary organisational changes" that she may deem appropriate to take on the emerging 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," the CWC resolution said.

After the letter row, Sonia Gandhi had offered to quit the top post. However, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged her to continue as the party chief.

The party resolution also said that it had taken note of the letter of the Congress chief as also a letter written earlier by certain Congress leaders to Sonia Gandhi.

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