Congress leaders part of the G21 faction are meeting at former Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad's residence in New Delhi. This is the first meeting of G21 leaders since the Congress party faced a drubbing in assembly elections in five states. Among G23 leaders present at the meeting are Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Bhupinder Hooda, Akhilesh Pratap Singh and Prithviraj Chavan.

The meeting was originally slated to be held at the residence of Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who is also a part of the G21.

However, the venue for the meeting was changed at the last moment after Kapil Sibal's remarks about the Congress leadership triggered outrage among party leaders.

"The Gandhis should voluntarily move away because a body nominated by them will never tell them that they should not continue to hold the reins of power," Sibal had told a leading national daily.

Sources say G21 leaders decided to change the venue for the meeting since they did not want to signal that they endorsed Kapil Sibal's remarks.

The meeting of G21 leaders comes on the heels of a meet of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) chaired by interim party president Sonia Gandhi.

A statement issued by the CWC said the outcome of the recent assembly elections are a "cause of serious concern" for the party. "Congress party represents the hopes of millions of Indians against political authoritarianism prevailing in the country today and the party is fully conscious of its immense responsibility," the statement went on to add.

The G23 (now G21) faction of the Congress is a group of 23 leaders who have been demanding a complete overhaul of the party's organizational structure. Congress leaders part of this faction have also sought the appointment of a new party president through internal elections.

Jitin Prasada and RPN Singh, both part of G23, have joined the BJP.

(With inputs from agencies)