The Hindu : New Delhi News : Speculation on Sonia's new team

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Wednesday, Jun 01, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Speculation on Sonia's new team

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Now that Sonia Gandhi has been re-elected Congress president, there is much speculation within the party on her new team, as technically the term of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is co-terminus with that of the head of the organisation.

Adding fuel to the speculation is Ms. Gandhi's statement a fortnight ago that there would be "a slight readjustment/rearrangement'' within the All India Congress Committee's (AICC) organisational structure after the Congress presidential election.

What has lent credence to the speculation is indications that it would be possible to hold the plenary session of the Congress only after the monsoon. While the formal restructuring of the CWC — either wholly nominated by her or partly elected as provided by the party constitution — will take place at the plenary, an interim restructuring is said to be on the cards.

As one party leader put it, "It will not be cosmetic, but it will not be drastic either.''

Post for Rahul?

The main buzz within the party circles is the possibility of the Congress president's son and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi being made an AICC general secretary — possibly in charge of frontal organisations, which has been the preferred route of the family to get into the party hierarchy.

To be a general secretary Mr. Gandhi will have to be a member of the CWC.

Be that as it may, the family loyalists would rather like Mr. Gandhi enter the CWC through the election route.

Or at least, they would like to generate a demand from within the organisation to bring him into the party structure.

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