By Our Special Correspondent
Congress leaders across the country have started pressuring Rahul Gandhi to come back as the party president. The state units of the party in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Odisha and Gujarat passed resolutions to reinstate Gandhi as party president.
Other state units are likely to take cue and pass similar resolutions. Rahul Gandhi resigned from the post after the party lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and rejected calls to take back the reins of the party and hinted that he might not change his mind.
As the Congress presidential election process begins on September 22, the party's central leadership has asked all state units to pass a resolution empowering the incoming president to appoint state unit chiefs and AICC members.
While approving this resolution, the Peaks started simultaneously passing another resolution calling for the return of Rahul Gandhi as the party president.
While Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel moved a resolution in Chhattisgarh seeking Rahul's return, PCC chief Mohan Markam, state assembly speaker Charan Das Mahant, ministers TS Singh Deo, Shivakumar Daharia and Premsai Singh reinforced the take.
Baghel said if similar resolutions are passed in other states, Rahul should reconsider his decision to return as Congress president. "I think Rahul ji will agree (to become the party chief) keeping in mind the sentiments of the party workers," he said, adding that the party's presidential election is nearing.
At a press conference in Kanyakumari on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said, "Wait till then (until the elections), when that time comes, you will see, if I don't stand, you can ask me. Why didn't you stand' and I will answer your question."
Rahul's comments were seen as an indication that he might stick to his earlier stance of not taking the party chief's post.
Comments