Milind Deora, Jyotiraditya Scindia quit their posts

New Delhi: More resignations poured in on Sunday ahead of the crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) which is likely to be held this week with Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora, general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (West) Jyotiraditya Scindia,  and Youth Congress president  Keshav Yadav being the latest to quit.

All three leaders are a part of the new guard or what was known as “Team Rahul” — young leaders handpicked by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

While Mr Scindia tweeted that he had handed his resignation to Mr Gandhi 10 days back, accepting responsibility for the party’s defeat in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Deora said that he was looking forward to play a role at the national level to help stabilise the party, triggering speculation whether he is part of the plan to fill the leadership vacuum at the top in the party.

“I had accepted MRCC presidentship in the interest of uniting the party. I felt I should also resign after meeting Rahul Gandhi. I suggested a panel and am being consulted by leaders to identity names. I look forward to playing a national role to help stabilise the party. Needless to say, I will continue to guide and unite Mumbai Congress” said Mr Deora in a statement.

Sources said that the Congress might be looking at an arrangement where a set of three or four young leaders are appointed to lead the party as a collegium, with a senior leader officiating as working president to help them coordinate.If this happens then a bridge can be formed between the party’s senior leadership and young leaders who seem to have been at loggerheads since the Congress’ disastrous performance in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

Other Rahul Gandhi aides who have resigned in solidarity with their leader include his protégés Uttam Reddy, former working president of Telangana Congress, and Girish Chodankar, who gave up the position of Goa Congress president.