As the Congress is struggling with the selection of a candidate to head the organisation, veteran leader AK Antony has been summoned by the high command, people aware of the development said on Tuesday.
Antony is expected to leave Thiruvananthapuram today evening and meet Sonia Gandhi later in the night. Former defence Minister and Kerala chief minister, Antony (81) returned to his home state in March this year after ending his stint in electoral politics and parliament.
“The party [interim] president has requested him to reach the national capital at the earliest. It seems Sonia Gandhi has sought his help to solve the impasse in Rajasthan,” a senior party leader said. Antony is one of the tallest leaders of the party and enjoys enough clout with the top brass.
The race for the Congress president’s post turned bitter on Monday after legislators supporting Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who was slated to run for the post, threatened to resign from the house en masse if Sachin Pilot was made the CM. Desperate attempts to placate them failed so far, reports from Jaipur suggest.
