New Delhi:
The Congress' public stance is an emphatic "no", but as it preps for the last mile before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling party could be looking at large-scale structural changes to present a younger face, with 41-year-old Rahul Gandhi leading the charge. Sources have told NDTV that four top ministers have offered to resign and focus on party work; that they have met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss a party restructure plan.
The Congress' chief troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee has dismissed all of this as a figment of the media's imagination. "You people are always in some sort of habit of imagination...Everybody is doing party work whether they are in the government or outside the government, therefore there is nothing to comment," he said.
There have also been sound denials from most of the ministers who had reportedly written to Mrs Gandhi offering to quit and work exclusively for the party. The four ministers, sources said, are Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Mr Ramesh, Mr Ravi and Mr Azad have denied offering to resign.
Mr Khurshid is learnt to have written to Mrs Sonia Gandhi offering to step down soon after the Congress' Uttar Pradesh electoral debacle, owning moral responsibility.
Vayalar Ravi told NDTV yesterday, "I met Congress President with regard to the Andhra Pradesh bye-elections and never wrote any letter." There has been speculation about a change of role for Mr Ravi ever since he was made the pointperson for party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.
"I am very happy doing my work and will continue. I have been sent to different states at different times. This time I was asked to look into Andhra Pradesh for the by-polls and I went there for a few days," said Mr Ravi.
There has also been some talk about V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, writing to Mrs Gandhi and offering to quit. Mr Narayanasamy, though refusing to comment on the letter, did confirm that he met Mrs Gandhi some time ago to discuss party restructuring.
Sources have told NDTV that Mrs Gandhi is keen on a massive rejig and wants a younger Congress Working Committee with Rahul Gandhi as the working President. Sources within the Congress say young MPs from various states like Ajay Maken and Jyotiraditya Scindia will showcase the party's future, before the general elections. A reshuffle, if it happens, is likely only after the Budget Session of Parliament now on.
The plan to revive the Congress organisation, sources say, has been taken following an initial report by a three-member committee headed by AK Antony. The final report is expected to be submitted by the end of this month.
The Opposition is unimpressed with these reported changes. BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad told NDTV, "There is still two years for a new government to take over. This window-dressing is of no consequence. If this thing comes about, I only see the problem (of lack of governance) aggravated."
The Congress' chief troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee has dismissed all of this as a figment of the media's imagination. "You people are always in some sort of habit of imagination...Everybody is doing party work whether they are in the government or outside the government, therefore there is nothing to comment," he said.
There have also been sound denials from most of the ministers who had reportedly written to Mrs Gandhi offering to quit and work exclusively for the party. The four ministers, sources said, are Law Minister Salman Khurshid, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Mr Ramesh, Mr Ravi and Mr Azad have denied offering to resign.
Mr Khurshid is learnt to have written to Mrs Sonia Gandhi offering to step down soon after the Congress' Uttar Pradesh electoral debacle, owning moral responsibility.
Vayalar Ravi told NDTV yesterday, "I met Congress President with regard to the Andhra Pradesh bye-elections and never wrote any letter." There has been speculation about a change of role for Mr Ravi ever since he was made the pointperson for party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.
"I am very happy doing my work and will continue. I have been sent to different states at different times. This time I was asked to look into Andhra Pradesh for the by-polls and I went there for a few days," said Mr Ravi.
There has also been some talk about V Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, writing to Mrs Gandhi and offering to quit. Mr Narayanasamy, though refusing to comment on the letter, did confirm that he met Mrs Gandhi some time ago to discuss party restructuring.
Sources have told NDTV that Mrs Gandhi is keen on a massive rejig and wants a younger Congress Working Committee with Rahul Gandhi as the working President. Sources within the Congress say young MPs from various states like Ajay Maken and Jyotiraditya Scindia will showcase the party's future, before the general elections. A reshuffle, if it happens, is likely only after the Budget Session of Parliament now on.
The plan to revive the Congress organisation, sources say, has been taken following an initial report by a three-member committee headed by AK Antony. The final report is expected to be submitted by the end of this month.
The Opposition is unimpressed with these reported changes. BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad told NDTV, "There is still two years for a new government to take over. This window-dressing is of no consequence. If this thing comes about, I only see the problem (of lack of governance) aggravated."
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