New Delhi, Oct 16: Interim AICC President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday slammed party leaders for speaking to the media as she addressed the Congress Working Committee meeting.

“I’ve always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak to me through the media. Let us all have a free and honest discussion. But what should get communicated outside four walls of this room is the collective decision of the Congress Working Committee,” said Gandhi in her opening remarks.

Sonia Gandhi’s statement comes after senior party leader Kapil Sibal had recently said that “there is no president in our party, so we do not know who is taking all the decisions.”

She also said the party is ready for the internal elections.

“The entire organisation wants a revival of the Congress. But this requires unity and keeping the party’s interests paramount. Above all, it requires self-control and discipline. I am acutely conscious of the fact that I have been interim Congress President ever since the CWC asked me to return in this capacity in 2019. We had thereafter, you may recall, finalised a roadmap for electing a regular President by June 30, 2021,” she added.

But due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, this deadline was extended indefinitely by the CWC in its meeting held on May 10, she added.

“Today is the occasion for bringing clarity once and for all. A schedule for the full-fledged organisational elections is before you.”

Speaking on the farmers protests, the Congress interim President said, “The shocking incidents at Lakhimpur Kheri betrays the mindset of the BJP, how it perceives the Kisan Andolan, how it has been dealing with this determined struggle by Kisans to protect their lives and livelihoods.”

She said that the economy continues to be a cause of great concern in spite of the government propaganda and the only answer the Centre seems to have for the country’s economic recovery is selling off national assets built with great effort over the decades.