Former Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha creates a twitter storm by claiming 100 leaders have petitioned Sonia Gandhi for a change of leadership but party rubbishes it.
Amidst strong denial from the Congress party, former party spokesperson, Sanjay Jha, tweeted on Monday that around 100 Congress leaders have sought a change in the party’s leadership.
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“It is estimated that around 100 Congress leaders (including MPs), distressed at the state of affairs within the party, have written a letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, asking for change in political leadership and transparent elections in CWC,” Mr. Jha, who had been suspended earlier by the Congress, said on twitter with the warning, ‘Watch this space’.
Denying it, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told The Hindu that canards were being spread at the behest of the BJP.
“No such letter has been written, or received by the Congress president. Such canards are being spread by the BJP to deflect attention from Facebook’s inaction against hate speeches made by their leaders. And Mr. Jha is no longer a member of the Congress party,” Mr. Surjewala said.
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Reacting to this, Mr Jha once again tweeted: “Facts don’t cease to exist because we ignore them. Or deny them.”
Notwithstanding the denial, Mr. Jha’s tweet reflect the concern of a section in the party over the ‘sense of drift’ and the demand for a more collective style of leadership. There are also reservations with regard to Rahul Gandhi taking over as the party chief again.
Party insiders claimed there have may been ‘informal discussions’ regarding drafting of such a letter, but it may not have been sent. No leader, however, was willing to come on record. The Hindu spoke to several senior leaders who had purportedly signed on the document, but they categorically denied the existence of the letter.
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In the past six months, the party had seen the departure of Jyotiraditya Scindia and a month-long rebellion by Sachin Pilot. There has also been a friction between former UPA Ministers and members who are perceived to be close to former party chief Rahul Gandhi at an internal meeting of the party.
