The Indian National Congress instead of reinventing itself after its second successive defeat in Lok Sabha election continues to hop from one crisis to another.&nbsp;

On Sunday, interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi offered her resignation to the party so that a new president can be elected.

Sources inside the Congress party confirmed the letter was indeed written to Sonia Gandhi and she too had responded to the letter.&nbsp;

In the very letter, she had suggested that all issues will be discussed within the party forum and the new leader can be elected if everyone is of the opinion.&nbsp;

According to the reports, Sonia Gandhi is not going to continue as Congress President indefinitely. Regardless of pressure on her from party faithfuls to continue, she will only grace the office until a new president is elected. This period, undoubtedly, is going to be very short.

Sources said that it is for the discussion of the grievances Sonia Gandhi had called for a Congress Working Committee meeting on August 24. It is the leak of Sonia Gandhi’s response which has upset Gandhi family.

This comes in the wake three dozen-odd leaders writing to Sonia Gandhi asking her to commence reforms in the Congress. A set of senior leaders is upset at the fact that decisions in the Congress party are being taken without consultations and Rahul Gandhi continues to run the party through the office of KC Venugopal who happens to be the General Secretary Organisation.

The leaders who shot off a letter to Sonia wants the immediate election to the Congress Working Committee but with Sonia Gandhi putting her papers, it will put them on backfoot. Sonia Gandhi as the Congress President in this period had closely aligned the party with ideas of Rahul Gandhi. Whether it personal and upfront attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on political and security issues to getting KC Venugopal and Rajiv Satav a seat in Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi has supported decisions of Rahul Gandhi. This is being resented by a large majority of leaders that Rahul Gandhi instead of taking everyone along has chosen a set of people to run the party without consultation.

Gandhi camp, on the other hand, feel that letter is a ruse for bargaining for positions within the party. It is suspected that discussion may start from functioning from at the top but concrete compromise may each on important positions like General Secretary Organisation or head of the media department.

Gandhi camp also feels that the crisis is created and not natural. The Opposite camp feels that the party is not been run properly and requires greater participation from all sides rather than being run by a few people. Though sources feel that Sonia’s gesture to put in her paper would be immediately rejected by the seniors in the group who feel that in her absence Rahul’s takeover would become imminent.

The Indian National Congress instead of reinventing itself after its second successive defeat in Lok Sabha election continues to hop from one crisis to another. On Sunday, interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi offered her resignation to the party so that a new president can be elected.

The Indian National Congress instead of reinventing itself after its second successive defeat in Lok Sabha election continues to hop from one crisis to another. On Sunday, interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi offered her resignation to the party so that a new president can be elected. Sources inside the Congress party confirmed the letter was indeed written to Sonia Gandhi and she too had responded to the letter. In the very letter, she had suggested that all issues will be discussed within the party forum and the new leader can be elected if everyone is of the opinion. According to the reports, Sonia Gandhi is not going to continue as Congress President indefinitely. Regardless of pressure on her from party faithfuls to continue, she will only grace the office until a new president is elected. This period, undoubtedly, is going to be very short. Sources said that it is for the discussion of the grievances Sonia Gandhi had called for a Congress Working Committee meeting on August 24. It is the leak of Sonia Gandhi’s response which has upset Gandhi family. This comes in the wake three dozen-odd leaders writing to Sonia Gandhi asking her to commence reforms in the Congress. A set of senior leaders is upset at the fact that decisions in the Congress party are being taken without consultations and Rahul Gandhi continues to run the party through the office of KC Venugopal who happens to be the General Secretary Organisation. The leaders who shot off a letter to Sonia wants the immediate election to the Congress Working Committee but with Sonia Gandhi putting her papers, it will put them on backfoot. Sonia Gandhi as the Congress President in this period had closely aligned the party with ideas of Rahul Gandhi. Whether it personal and upfront attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on political and security issues to getting KC Venugopal and Rajiv Satav a seat in Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi has supported decisions of Rahul Gandhi. This is being resented by a large majority of leaders that Rahul Gandhi instead of taking everyone along has chosen a set of people to run the party without consultation. Gandhi camp, on the other hand, feel that letter is a ruse for bargaining for positions within the party. It is suspected that discussion may start from functioning from at the top but concrete compromise may each on important positions like General Secretary Organisation or head of the media department. Gandhi camp also feels that the crisis is created and not natural. The Opposite camp feels that the party is not been run properly and requires greater participation from all sides rather than being run by a few people. Though sources feel that Sonia’s gesture to put in her paper would be immediately rejected by the seniors in the group who feel that in her absence Rahul’s takeover would become imminent.

Congress leadership crisis: Split wide open

Britain&#39;s main opposition Labour faces a leadership battle after a challenger to Jeremy Corbyn finally stepped forward on Saturday after a Brexit vote which caused political turmoil. 
 
Senior lawmaker Angela Eagle is to stand against veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, the embattled head of the left-of-centre party, who has faced criticism for his lukewarm campaigning in favour of staying in the EU. 
 
Eagle announced her bid following the collapse of talks aimed at resolving a deep rift in the party over Corbyn`s future which some commentators have suggested could prompt it to split. 
 
&quot;On Monday morning I will announce my candidature for leader of the Labour Party,&quot; she said. 
 
Corbyn, who has lost the support of at least three-quarters of his lawmakers, had &quot;failed to fulfil his first and foremost duty, that is to lead an organised and effective Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)&quot;, added Eagle. 
 
The socialist leader, who has strong support from grassroots Labour members, has vowed to fight on, insisting there was &quot;no pressure on me&quot;. 
 
Eagle, 55, was the shadow first secretary of state - implying seniority over other front-bench spokespersons - before she and a host of others quit the so-called shadow cabinet en masse last month. 
 
If she wins the contest, she would be the first openly gay leader of a major political party at Westminster. Labour members of parliament staged a vote of no confidence in Corbyn on June 28, in which 17 per cent backed him and 75 per cent voted against him.&nbsp; 
 
While the EU referendum raised fresh doubts, many centrist MPs had long been opposed to his leadership. 
 
Despite this, Corbyn has vowed to battle on as leader, citing a groundswell of support in the party membership. 
 
&quot;He will remain leader of the Labour Party and will contest any leadership challenge if one is mounted,&quot; his spokesman insisted. 
 
Corbyn himself told the Durham Miners` Gala, a key date in the diary of Britain`s labour movement, that there was &quot;no pressure on me, none whatsoever&quot;. 
 
&quot;Real pressure is when you don`t have enough money to feed your kids, when you don`t have a roof over your head,&quot; he said. 
 
In the June 23 referendum, 52 per cent of voters opted for Britain to leave the EU, with many traditional Labour heartlands voting out. 
 
US President Barack Obama said he believed Britain would quit the EU at a NATO summit in Warsaw. 
 
&quot;I think we have to assume that a referendum having been passed with a lot of attention, a lengthy campaign and relatively high participation rates is going to stick,&quot; Obama said when asked if Britain could go back on the vote. 
 
But anger among &quot;Remain&quot; voters lingers. 
 
The British government on Saturday formally rejected a petition signed by more than four million people calling for a second referendum with a minimum 60 per cent threshold and 75 turnout bar. 
 
Around 200 people gathered for a picnic to oppose Brexit held in central London`s Green Park.The trade unions which provide significant funding to Labour have repeatedly urged respect for Corbyn`s authority as leader and the overwhelming grassroots mandate he received last year.&nbsp; 
 
Len McCluskey, leader of Britain`s biggest union Unite, sharply attacked Labour deputy leader Tom Watson for the &quot;sabotage&quot; of talks designed to end the standoff. 
 
&quot;Should there have to be a leadership election, I must warn that any attempts to keep Jeremy Corbyn, elected just 10 months ago with an enormous mandate, off the ballot paper by legal means risks a lasting division in the party,&quot; McCluskey added. 
 
In September, rank outsider Corbyn was elected Labour leader with 59.5 per cent of the vote, made up of Labour Party members, members of affiliated unions and people who paid $3.90 to get a vote. 
 
Labour is likely to face fresh ructions next month over the issue of Britain`s nuclear deterrent. 
 
Parliament will vote on replacing the submarines which carry Britain`s Trident nuclear missiles on July 18, Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Saturday. 
 
Corbyn is opposed to nuclear weapons, though many Labour MPs are likely to support maintaining the deterrent. 
 
(AFP)

If Angela Eagle wins, she would be the first openly gay leader of a major political party at Westminster

Britain's main opposition Labour faces a leadership battle after a challenger to Jeremy Corbyn finally stepped forward on Saturday after a Brexit vote which caused political turmoil. Senior lawmaker Angela Eagle is to stand against veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, the embattled head of the left-of-centre party, who has faced criticism for his lukewarm campaigning in favour of staying in the EU. Eagle announced her bid following the collapse of talks aimed at resolving a deep rift in the party over Corbyn`s future which some commentators have suggested could prompt it to split. "On Monday morning I will announce my candidature for leader of the Labour Party," she said. Corbyn, who has lost the support of at least three-quarters of his lawmakers, had "failed to fulfil his first and foremost duty, that is to lead an organised and effective Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP)", added Eagle. The socialist leader, who has strong support from grassroots Labour members, has vowed to fight on, insisting there was "no pressure on me". Eagle, 55, was the shadow first secretary of state - implying seniority over other front-bench spokespersons - before she and a host of others quit the so-called shadow cabinet en masse last month. If she wins the contest, she would be the first openly gay leader of a major political party at Westminster. Labour members of parliament staged a vote of no confidence in Corbyn on June 28, in which 17 per cent backed him and 75 per cent voted against him. While the EU referendum raised fresh doubts, many centrist MPs had long been opposed to his leadership. Despite this, Corbyn has vowed to battle on as leader, citing a groundswell of support in the party membership. "He will remain leader of the Labour Party and will contest any leadership challenge if one is mounted," his spokesman insisted. Corbyn himself told the Durham Miners` Gala, a key date in the diary of Britain`s labour movement, that there was "no pressure on me, none whatsoever". "Real pressure is when you don`t have enough money to feed your kids, when you don`t have a roof over your head," he said. In the June 23 referendum, 52 per cent of voters opted for Britain to leave the EU, with many traditional Labour heartlands voting out. US President Barack Obama said he believed Britain would quit the EU at a NATO summit in Warsaw. "I think we have to assume that a referendum having been passed with a lot of attention, a lengthy campaign and relatively high participation rates is going to stick," Obama said when asked if Britain could go back on the vote. But anger among "Remain" voters lingers. The British government on Saturday formally rejected a petition signed by more than four million people calling for a second referendum with a minimum 60 per cent threshold and 75 turnout bar. Around 200 people gathered for a picnic to oppose Brexit held in central London`s Green Park.The trade unions which provide significant funding to Labour have repeatedly urged respect for Corbyn`s authority as leader and the overwhelming grassroots mandate he received last year. Len McCluskey, leader of Britain`s biggest union Unite, sharply attacked Labour deputy leader Tom Watson for the "sabotage" of talks designed to end the standoff. "Should there have to be a leadership election, I must warn that any attempts to keep Jeremy Corbyn, elected just 10 months ago with an enormous mandate, off the ballot paper by legal means risks a lasting division in the party," McCluskey added. In September, rank outsider Corbyn was elected Labour leader with 59.5 per cent of the vote, made up of Labour Party members, members of affiliated unions and people who paid $3.90 to get a vote. Labour is likely to face fresh ructions next month over the issue of Britain`s nuclear deterrent. Parliament will vote on replacing the submarines which carry Britain`s Trident nuclear missiles on July 18, Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Saturday. Corbyn is opposed to nuclear weapons, though many Labour MPs are likely to support maintaining the deterrent. (AFP)

Corbyn faces leadership challenge, senior British lawmaker to announce candidature

Britain could have a new prime minister by early September, the ruling Conservative Party said today, after David Cameron started laying the groundwork for his successor to trigger the country&#39;s exit from the European Union. 
 
The government is under pressure to fill a vacuum left when Cameron announced he would resign by October after Britain ignored his advice and voted to leave the 28-member bloc in last week&#39;s referendum. 
 
Triggering a leadership battle which could draw in some of his closest advisers, Cameron urged ministers to work together in the meantime. But he also formed a separate unit, staffed by public servants, to help advise Britain on its departure and its options for a future outside the EU. 
 
Graham Brady, chair of the &quot;1922 committee&quot; of Conservative lawmakers which sets the party&#39;s ground rules in parliament, said the group had recommended that the leadership contest should begin next week and conclude no later than Sept. 2. 
 
That recommendation will almost certainly be passed. 
 
&quot;Both the Conservatives and the country more generally really want certainty. We would like a resolution and we think it would be a good thing to conclude this process as soon as we practicably can,&quot; Brady told Sky News. 
 
He said there should be no new parliamentary election before Britain had negotiated the terms of its exit from the EU. 
 
Several Conservative lawmakers have urged leadership candidates to try to broker a deal quickly to make sure that any campaign is as painless as possible, to avoid deepening divisions exposed during the referendum campaign. 
 
&quot;A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country,&quot; said Justine Greening, international development minister. &quot;It will mean our party focuses inward at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward.&quot; 
 
Jockeying for position 
 
All eyes are on former London mayor Boris Johnson, the most prominent of the &quot;Leave&quot; campaigners and now bookmakers&#39; favourite to succeed Cameron. 
 
But not all party members back him and many are pressing for &quot;Anyone But Boris&quot;, seeing his decision to back the Leave campaign as a betrayal of his former ally Cameron, according to media reports. 
 
Cameron&#39;s spokeswoman declined to comment on the leadership battle and said there had been no discussion at today&#39;s cabinet meeting, which did not include Johnson, about the possibility of an early parliamentary election. 
 
Instead, she said, the Prime Minister had urged unity both in government and in the country and had announced he had set up an advisory unit to help manage Britain&#39;s departure from the European Union and to make sure his successor has all the possible information necessary to decide the country&#39;s future. 
 
The unit would &quot;make sure we have done the groundwork ready for a new prime minister. So it is about preparing advice on the whole range of issues that will need to be looked at, things like transitional issues,&quot; she said, adding that Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker and friend of Cameron&#39;s, would be involved in it. 
 
For now, the priority was working together on government business, which some critics say has been all but put on hold since campaigning for the referendum began in February, and reassuring the many migrants who fear their status may change. 
 
Cameron would not put up with intolerance, she added, after reports that migrants, particularly those from Poland, had been told by some Britons to &quot;go home&quot; after the referendum. 
 
&quot;Across Britain we should be standing together at the moment, to not allow the result of this referendum to divide communities or to provoke fear amongst some.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

All eyes are on former London mayor, Boris Johnson, the most prominent of the 'Leave' campaigners expected to succeed David Cameron

Britain could have a new prime minister by early September, the ruling Conservative Party said today, after David Cameron started laying the groundwork for his successor to trigger the country's exit from the European Union. The government is under pressure to fill a vacuum left when Cameron announced he would resign by October after Britain ignored his advice and voted to leave the 28-member bloc in last week's referendum. Triggering a leadership battle which could draw in some of his closest advisers, Cameron urged ministers to work together in the meantime. But he also formed a separate unit, staffed by public servants, to help advise Britain on its departure and its options for a future outside the EU. Graham Brady, chair of the "1922 committee" of Conservative lawmakers which sets the party's ground rules in parliament, said the group had recommended that the leadership contest should begin next week and conclude no later than Sept. 2. That recommendation will almost certainly be passed. "Both the Conservatives and the country more generally really want certainty. We would like a resolution and we think it would be a good thing to conclude this process as soon as we practicably can," Brady told Sky News. He said there should be no new parliamentary election before Britain had negotiated the terms of its exit from the EU. Several Conservative lawmakers have urged leadership candidates to try to broker a deal quickly to make sure that any campaign is as painless as possible, to avoid deepening divisions exposed during the referendum campaign. "A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country," said Justine Greening, international development minister. "It will mean our party focuses inward at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward." Jockeying for position All eyes are on former London mayor Boris Johnson, the most prominent of the "Leave" campaigners and now bookmakers' favourite to succeed Cameron. But not all party members back him and many are pressing for "Anyone But Boris", seeing his decision to back the Leave campaign as a betrayal of his former ally Cameron, according to media reports. Cameron's spokeswoman declined to comment on the leadership battle and said there had been no discussion at today's cabinet meeting, which did not include Johnson, about the possibility of an early parliamentary election. Instead, she said, the Prime Minister had urged unity both in government and in the country and had announced he had set up an advisory unit to help manage Britain's departure from the European Union and to make sure his successor has all the possible information necessary to decide the country's future. The unit would "make sure we have done the groundwork ready for a new prime minister. So it is about preparing advice on the whole range of issues that will need to be looked at, things like transitional issues," she said, adding that Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker and friend of Cameron's, would be involved in it. For now, the priority was working together on government business, which some critics say has been all but put on hold since campaigning for the referendum began in February, and reassuring the many migrants who fear their status may change. Cameron would not put up with intolerance, she added, after reports that migrants, particularly those from Poland, had been told by some Britons to "go home" after the referendum. "Across Britain we should be standing together at the moment, to not allow the result of this referendum to divide communities or to provoke fear amongst some." (Reuters)

Britain may see new PM by early September, readies for Brexit

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