The start of the reconciliation process has significantly bolstered the chances of truce in the Congress but the G-23 camp of dissenters is insisting on Rahul Gandhi’s consent to any understanding that evolves during negotiations with party president Sonia Gandhi.

“We hope the party doesn’t drift onto a suicidal path and that a resolution is found sooner than later. It is good that Sonia Gandhi invited (G-23 leader) Ghulam Nabi Azad for talks. He has given some suggestions. We expect another round of discussions soon when more leaders will participate. But what is critical is that Rahul Gandhi should be on board; any understanding with Sonia Gandhi will have little significance if his consent is not there,” a G-23 member told The Telegraph.

“There is a disconnect at the top. Sonia and Rahul think differently; their leadership style and perceptions are different. Rahul doesn’t always agree with Sonia’s suggestions, so it is essential the agreement is finalised collectively,” a leader said.

Many leaders outside the G-23 fold harbour the grievance that Rahul doesn’t accept Sonia’s decisions and has far greater authority in the Congress than the party president.

While the communication between the two groups had stopped over the past few months, Sonia’s meeting with Azad and Rahul’s decision to invite Bhupinder Singh Hooda for a discussion are being viewed as positive signs.

Asked if the party was heading for a split, the leader who spoke on collective agreement said: “We haven’t ever talked of a split. The Congress is already in a bad shape and it will collapse if there is a split at this stage. The overwhelming opinion among the G-23, which is a much bigger group now, is that the party should be revived and strengthened.”

While most leaders are cautious about articulating their concerns, even disapproving of the blunt outbursts of leaders such as Kapil Sibal who has asked the Gandhis to step aside, they are firm on a drastic overhaul instead of a token shuffle.

Asked about their expectations, one of them said: “We aren’t against individuals. As our statement clearly said, we want collective leadership. Constitution of the parliamentary board is one of our key demands. Vital decisions cannot be taken on personal whims.”

Article 25 of the Congress constitution prescribes a parliamentary board consisting of the party president and nine other members, one of whom will be the leader of the party in Parliament, for the purpose of regulating and coordinating parliamentary activities.

Even the central election committee to select candidates for polls has to include members of the parliamentary board. This committee is mandated to conduct election campaigns. The Congress Working Committee constitutes the parliamentary board from amongst its members.

The parliamentary board plays a critical role in the functioning of the party.

The Congress always had parliamentary boards, even before Independence, but the practice was abandoned after the P.V. Narasimha Rao regime.

Senior leaders have been demanding the revival of the parliamentary board for the past few years as they believe there is no institutionalised mechanism for decision-making in the party. Many leaders complain they come to know about important decisions through the media.

Sources in the Congress expect the G-23 row to be resolved by the end of this month. Sonia is planning a restructuring of the organisational machinery and may unveil her plan within the next fortnight after a few more meetings with dissenters as well as loyalists.

While some incumbent office-bearers advocate a tough line on dissenters, others have welcomed the initiation of reconciliation efforts, arguing that unity of purpose is a must at this juncture when the party is passing through a bad phase.