New Delhi, Sept 1 : Congress circles are abuzz with rumour that party presisdent Sonia Gandhi on her return from abroad may delegate more of her powers to her son and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who may take over as working president, Mail Today, a Delhi tabloid reported.
Sonia Gandhi is expected in Delhi in a day or two after a monthlong stay in New York where she underwent treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
The Mail Today report said that the party rank and file is feeling "rudderless" to counter the Anna Hazare blitz in the absence of Sonia Gandhi, with senior ministers giving conflicting signals on the Lokpal issue.
The report, says there is speculation that Sonia Gandhi may take more time to recuperate. Despite a series of crises which dogged the party during the month of August, the party was yet to convene a single high-level meeting to discuss the drift in her absence.
The party and the government had been adopting a hardline approach towards Anna Hazare, by arresting him from his residence, even before he had sat on fast.
This hardline approach was changed soon after Rahul Gandhi's return from New York, and the party adopted a conciliatory approach towards Team Anna.
The report, party insiders are of the view that Rahul Gandhi should now take over the burden of her mother and boost the sinking morale of the party cadre, with the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections hovering in view.
Says UP Congress leader Jagdambika Pal: "He is our future leader. He will take over at the right time."
Sonia Gandhi had set up a four-member committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the party, moments before she left for New York, The commitee, consisting of A K Antony, Rahul Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, and Janardan Dwivedi, did not have any structured meeting during the whole month.
Several crucial decisions relating to the party organisation are still pending. With Rahul Gandhi flying in and out of Delhi to New York to be with her ailing mother, the panel did not play a pro-active role during the Anna crisis, and goofed up by arresting him and then ordering his release the same evening.
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