As the Congress top decision-making body CWC met virtually to discuss the contentious leadership issue, several party workers gathered

New Delhi: As the Congress top decision-making body CWC met virtually to discuss the contentious leadership issue, several party workers gathered at the AICC headquarters here on Monday raising slogans, asserting that no one except from the Gandhi family would be acceptable as party chief.

Though the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is taking place virtually, several Congress workers gathered outside and raised slogans in support of the Gandhi family.

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi

Many carried placards like "Gandhi ke alawa adhyaksh manzoor nahi (nobody is acceptable as president except Gandhi)" and "Gandhi pariwar ke alawa koi adhyaksh bana, toh party toot hi jayegi (if anybody outside the Gandhi family becomes chief, the party will break).

Sources close to Sonia Gandhi said that she might offer to step down from the post of president in the CWC meeting and ask the party to look for a full-time chief.

Sonia Gandhi

All India Congress Committee (AICC) media Chief Randeep Surjewala, however, denied it.

Several top leaders, including its chief ministers and state unit presidents, have rallied behind the Gandhi family, calling for Sonia Gandhi to stay or Rahul Gandhi to take charge again.