Outreach to G-23 as Sonia Gandhi sets up groups for 2024

In yet another signal of rapprochement, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday included G-23 leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma in an eight-member political affairs group she constituted on the day to advise her. 

Sonia also announced a task force for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections which, interestingly, has election strategist Sunil Kanugolu as a member.

Sonia had announced the setting up of the two bodies in her concluding address at the Udaipur chintan shivir. 

Now that Azad and Sharma have been included in the political affairs group headed by her, it remains to be seen whether the two would be considered for Rajya Sabha seats. 

The party is in a position to get 9-10 seats and it is to be seen whether the induction of the two would mean that they will not be considered for the Upper House.

Besides Azad and Sharma, the political affairs group has Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Digvijaya Singh, AICC general secretary in charge of organisation K C Venugopal and AICC's Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh.

It is a major elevation for the young Singh, considered a key member of Team Rahul.