Rahul Gandhi said ready to work as party desires: Congress

The comment was reportedly greeted by applause from all present, including the rebels.

The members have reinforced the talk about Rahul returning as Congress president as the party prepares to elect its chief in the new year.

A five-hour-long meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leaders from the group of 23 dissenters, who had written letters raising concerns about party organisation, was held at the former's house to elect the next party president after months of infighting over the leadership issue.

Rahul Gandhi, who was present at the meeting, said, "I am willing to work for the party as all of you desire," senior Congress leader Pawan Bansal informed media after the meeting.

The former Congress president reportedly also agreed that "better communication" was needed to strengthen the party at the booth-level.

Earlier, Congress spokesperson  Randeep Singh Surjewala said "99.9 per cent" leaders want Rahul Gandhi to return as the president.

Sonia Gandhi, 74, has remained the interim party president since her son Rahul Gandhi resigned from the party's top post last year over the Congress's second straight national election defeat.

The 23 Congress leaders who had signed the August's 'dissent letter', which caused an all-out clash within the party.

The letter called for sweeping reforms, introspection and "full-time, visible leadership" of a party that has had Gandhi as "interim" chief since Rahul Gandhi resigned from the top post following last year's Lok Sabha polls debacle.