A Congress Working Committee member is powerful, so it is not an easy decision for the Congress to vote for it. The Congress Working Committee is the top decision-making body of the Congress. For many years, the CWC has been a yes-man body, usually following the Congress president’s line – which meant following the Gandhis.

President Gandhi, who has been a Gandhi for the last 20 years, has gained more clout with the appointment of CWC members. However, since the grand old party decided to hold presidential elections – also to placate the G23 – the next step has been to demand that the CWC be surveyed to ensure that the democratic process is complete.

Even though Rahul Gandhi is not the president of the party, he still holds a sway over party affairs, especially after the Bharat Jodo Yatra. It is easy to see why perhaps the current steering committee members, who will be examining the CWC, may not be too enthusiastic about holding elections.