Sonia Gandhi to step down as leader of India’s Congress party

The president of India’s congress party, Sonia Gandhi, has called for the election of a successor.

This followed a letter that called for sweeping reforms.

Party leaders have met in the capital Delhi to decide if Ms Gandhi should continue in her role.

Congress ruled the country for decades, but has recently been heavily defeated in polls.

This has led to sharp criticism of its leadership, which has long favoured the Gandhi family.

The party was routed from power by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014, managing to win just 44 seats in the 543-member house.

Many political observers say the party had become highly unpopular with voters.

It is now in power in just six Indian states – in four of those, it governs as a member of a coalition.

The party has been under the leadership of the Ghandi family since India won independence from the UK in 1947.