By coming out in the open in support of Rahul Gandhi, former Karnataka Chief minister, Siddaramaiah seems to have taken the lead in setting the agenda for the Congress Working Committee meeting slated for Saturday. The CWC has been convened to discuss the current political situation as also the issue of organizational elections as demanded by the G-23 leaders. Siddaramaiah is both perceptive and astute and knows that majority of those who shall be attending this meeting have similar views on the question of presidentship of the party and may share their thoughts on Saturday. However, it is still not known whether Rahul, who quit as the Congress president after the 2019 Parliamentary polls debacle, owing moral authority of the party’s poor showing, shall agree to the proposal. When Rahul had resigned, there was no demand for his removal and if he agrees to return as the Chief, it is unlikely that there would be resistance from amongst the Congress leaders, occupying influential positions. The main point is that the G-23 leaders have been stressing the need for greater accountability in the party and want some kind of transparency so far as decision making goes. Kapil Sibal had summed up the issue very precisely when he stated that we do not know who is taking the decisions and yet we know who is doing that. He was alluding to the recent developments where the Congress High Command arrived at certain politically sensitive conclusions at the behest of the Gandhi siblings who influenced the Interim Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. The need of the hour in the grand old party is that there should be greater clarity on what the political strategy is and what was the road map ahead. It is evident that nobody seems to know and when questionable decisions are taken, there is nobody to manage the consequences. At one stage, Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary could take care of the fallout of rash and reckless actions. However, after his demise, there is nobody of that stature who is in the current system. It is the opinion of many veteran Congress leaders, who do not wish to be named, that a non-Gandhi should be brought in as the party chief and the family should back him in the larger interests of both the country and the organization. The Congress needs to win elections to be eligible to maintain its status as the second largest party. The Gandhis no longer have the charisma or the wherewithal to take the party forward. They have to be consistent if they have to face the political machinery of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. At present, the Congress also needs to ponder over a larger opposition unity to counter the BJP at the national level. It is also unlikely that other than Sonia Gandhi, the opposition would accept either Rahul or Priyanka as the face of their challenge to the saffron brigade. In this context, there are three leaders within the party who can measure up to the task if the Gandhis wholehearted support them. Kamal Nath, is beyond doubt the most structured politician within the Congress fold. Bhupinder Singh Hooda is a mass leader and Ashok Gehlot, is well versed with how politics within the Congress works. Siddaramaiah’s opinion is right when looked through the prism of pragmatic politics in his own state. He has his ear to the ground and is the tallest leader in Karnataka, who can possibly steer the Congress back to victory there in 2023. However, the party has to be prepared for the round of Assembly elections next year. It appears that the Congress is no longer on a firm footing. If the Congress was to lose these polls, the Gandhi’s position in the High Command would come under threat. Thus, the CWC when it meets, should take the appropriate decisions which are realistic and aimed at furthering the interests of the country and the party.