'I am a full-time president': Sonia Gandhi tells G-23 in CWC meet

New Delhi : Sonia Gandhi on Saturday clarified that her position is not interim and she is a full-time president of Congress party. Her statement comes on a backdrop of G23 push for an organisational overhaul and the election of "visible and effective leadership".

Addressing the meeting of Congress Working Committee, Sonia Gandhi made it clear that she likes leaders who could be frank enough to speak up their minds directly and not via media.

"I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands on Congress President..." Mrs Gandhi said, highlighting her leadership on national issues like the farmers protests, the provision of aid and relief during the pandemic and atrocities committed on marginalised groups and communities.

"You are aware that I have been taking them up with the Prime Minister, as have Dr Manmohan Singh ji and Rahul (Gandhi) ji... I have been interacting with like-minded political parties regularly. We have issued joint statements on national issues and coordinated our strategy in Parliament as well."

According to media reports, sometime during the meeting, Ghulam Nabi Azad was heard saying that we have full faith on Sonia Gandhi Ji and nobody is questioning her leadership.

ALSO READ: Election for the new Congress President in 2022

The CWC met today to finalise the schedule for organisational elections - a full-time Congress President will be chosen after elections between August 21 and September 20 next year.

Earlier, polls to elect new Congress President were scheduled for July this year, but had to be postponed indefinitely due to second wave of coronavirus.

This was the Congress' first in-person meet since the pandemic and a series of lockdowns.

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