NEW DELHI: Congress leaders from across the country have started exerting pressure for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president. The party’s state units in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha and Gujarat have passed resolutions that Gandhi be brought back as party president. Other state units are likely to take cue and adopt similar resolutions.
Rahul Gandhi had resigned from the post after the party’s loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and has since rejected calls to take back the party’s reins and indicated that he may not change his mind.
With the process for Congress president’s election scheduled to set into motion on September 22, all state units have been asked by the party’s central leadership to pass a resolution authorising the incoming president to appoint state unit chiefs and AICC members. While passing this resolution, the PCCs have started simultaneously passing another resolution calling for the return of Rahul Gandhi as party president.
The resolution seeking Rahul’s return was moved in Chhattisgarh by chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and seconded by PCC chief Mohan Markam, state Assembly Speaker Charan Das Mahant, and ministers TS Singh Deo, Shivkumar Dahariya and Premsai Singh Tekam.
Baghel said “If similar resolutions are passed in other states, then Rahul ji should rethink his decision of returning as Congress president.” He said the party's presidential election is nearing and “keeping in view the sentiments of party workers, I think Rahul ji will agree (to become party chief)."
As the demand for his return as Congress president gained momentum, Rahul Gandhi once again said "whether I become president of Congress or not will become clear when the elections for the president post take place. But, I have clearly decided what I will do and there is no confusion in my mind."
At a press conference in Kanyakumari during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had said "wait till that time (when elections take place) and when that time comes, you will see, and if I don't stand, you can ask me then 'why didn't you stand' and I will answer the question for you."
Rahul’s remarks were seen as an indication that he might stick to his earlier stance of not taking up the party chief's post.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh too have favoured a consensus for the post of the AICC chief
The notification for the Congress president's election will be out on September 22 and the process for filing nominations will be held from September 24 to 30.
The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19.