The strife-torn Congress is anxiously waiting for significant desertions in the coming months, as the loyalists don’t accept that the dissidents have the potential to split the party.

While there are few in the party among the younger lot who advocate reconciliation and compromise, even the veterans who wanted unity appear to have given up.

“We have always seen factionalism in the Congress but this permanent grouping called G-23 is a bad omen. Looks like we have reached a point of no return,” a former AICC general secretary told The Telegraph.

The dissidents, known as the group of 23 or G-23, admit there has been no effort at reconciliation and allege absence of democracy in the party. “Does Modi tolerate questions? Those who are in control don’t like being questioned, no matter how valid the questions are,” one of them said, appearing to equate their party leadership with Narendra Modi.

The majority opinion in the Congress is that the central leadership should deal firmly with the dissidents. This is driven primarily by two reasons, the belief that those who raise questions publicly are directly or indirectly helping the BJP and that the exit of the entrenched forces will create space for new leaders to rise.

The silence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is an indication that the G-23 muscle-flexing is not being appreciated.

Some key functionaries, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, demolished the G-23 allegation of lack of democracy in the Congress.

One of them said: “Amarinder Singh calls Rahul Gandhi immature and accuses Sonia Gandhi of humiliating him because he was not allowed to be the chief minister forever. Let him now question Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and comment on the RSS ideological positions, which he had attacked all his life. Then he will understand the meaning of democracy. These leaders have attacked the leadership for one year now. How many days can a G-23 or G-25 can survive in any other party of the country?”

Party general secretary Tariq Anwar told this newspaper: “When did they realise the party should have only elected bodies? Some of them have been in key positions in the Congress much before Sonia Gandhi entered politics. Why were Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal silent when they were nominated or appointed? And if the party is weak today, is Rahul Gandhi responsible? Who was running the show for the last 40 years?”

Anwar put out two harsh tweets too, saying: “When the party is in power, they will hail you in the morning, hail you in the night. Pure Jee Huzuri (sycophancy). And when the party is in Opposition, start questioning the leadership. What kind of politics is this?” This was in response to Sibal’s barb that we are “G-23, not G-Huzur 23”.

In another tweet, Anwar said: “Some people’s character is surprising. Can a man change so dramatically because of vested interest? Those who enjoyed power most because of the blessings of the leadership are today challenging the leaders. It seems they are accustomed to being in power, they can’t enjoy struggle.”

One more important functionary remarked: “Time to purge, not debate.”

Another general secretary Harish Rawat, who is in-charge of Punjab, countered Amarinder’s charge that he was humiliated, arguing that he was given the highest respect and authority for decades. Rawat alleged that Amarinder was under some pressure, a charge denied by the former chief minister whose meeting with Shah and national security adviser Ajit Doval has triggered much speculation.

Ordinary Congress workers, who are far away from the power orbit, also want dissidents to be crushed with an iron hand.

Naresh Kumar, an AICC member from Delhi, said: “Everybody accepts the party needs a full-fledged president. But right now it is about saving the country and the party. Not about individuals. We see the sad spectacle of Amarinder Singh hobnobbing with the BJP and our senior leaders are attacking the party. Are they pouring oil into the fire? We know these seasoned leaders understand politics and that’s why they carefully chose the timing.”

Another leader said: “No worker anywhere in the country is supportive of the G-23 even as they have raised some valid questions. Because they are all motivated by personal ambitions. Somebody wanted another Rajya Sabha term, somebody wanted greater role… and they are hurting the party at this critical juncture. You can imagine their concern for the Congress — their partner Jitin Prasada is a BJP minister under Yogi Adityanath!”