It is learnt that in the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in an hour from now on, Gandhis are reluctant to carry on as leader of the party.
Sonia Gandhi apparently has offered to resign; Rahul Gandhi remains reluctant to return to the helm and his sister Priyanka Gandhi wants no better role than the general secretary she presently is.
It would be a virtual meeting of the CWC on Zoom application.
If Gandhis refuse to hold the baton, Congress could appoint an interim president and hold internal elections which would involve an electoral college.
The CWC meet could also form a team of committee to guide the way forward. It includes sorting out the process of organizational elections at national and state levels.
Sonia Gandhi is set to launch the virtual meeting and would make the opening address.
The Congress is split down from the middle. On one side are heavyweights which include many former chief ministers and union minister. On the other side are the likes of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary and Amrinder Singh who want Sonia Gandhi to continue.
Those wanting Sonia to continue aren’t moved by loyalty alone. There is a shrewd political gambit too since quite a few don’t approve of Rahul Gandhi’s ambivalent attitude to hardcore politics. They would rather have the mother than the son leading the party.
This is the first time since 1999 when Sharad Pawar walked out over Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin that Congress is seeing an organized revolt against the Nehru-Gandhi family.