Amid speculation on Ashok Gehlot's replacement as Rajasthan Chief Minister following his bid for Congress presidency, former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in May, took a jibe at the Congress party and questioned: "who will be the Channi of Rajasthan?"
The Congress president was responding to questions raised by a group of leaders led by Kapil Sibal over the party's decision-making process.
The by-elections in Madhya Pradesh to Khandwa Lok Sabha and three assembly seats are to be held on October 30.
The Congress interim chief seems to be in a holiday mood and headed straight to her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's cottage in the suburbs of the Himachal Pradesh capital.
Sources said the party leadership asked Harish Rawat asked to settle the raging tussle within the party as MLAs have once again started raising voices and seeking the Legislative party meet.
As Kishor wants a full-fledged role and decision-making authority on election-related issues, party leaders are averse to giving free hand to one person on the selection of candidates.
In characterising Dr Manmohan Singh’s stewardship of UPA-II as being “preoccupied with saving his coalition” and describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s manner of functioning as “autocratic” in his first term, Mukherjee, critics would say, has only confirmed what many have long suspected.
And while Mrs Sonia Gandhi was determined not to countenance any challenges to her reign and that of her son in the past six years, it was clear to observers that Mr Patel played the role of a bridge not just between the next rung of leaders and the family but between the mother and son as well.
In August 2019, when Mrs Gandhi took over as interim President after much demurring as reported at the time, she was said to have insisted that the CWC resolution emphasise the point that she was taking over “pending the election of a regular President by the All India Congress Committee”, as she was concerned her return would allow opponents to allege that the family was unwilling to cede control of the country.
However, Congress chief is not celebrating her birthday in the wake of rape incidents in various parts of the country and concerns over women's security, sources said.
