Cong contradicts Digvijay, says Rahul still a PM candidate

Rahul Gandhi is very much in the race for the post of Prime Minister, indicated the Congress on Saturday, contradicting senior leader Digvijay Singh.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, who had kicked up a controversy by saying that Gandhi would not be declared the prime ministerial candidate for the next general election, was virtually ticked off by the party, which said it was his personal opinion.

“Individuals may have their personal opinion, but on such issues final decision is taken by the party only,” said AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, reacting to Singh’s remarks

At the Congress Chintan Shivir in Jaipur in January, Gandhi was appointed vice-president, putting him in direct line of succession within the party.

“The party had declared in Jaipur at the time of Rahul Gandhi’s appointment as vice-president that the question of campaigning and leadership will be decided by the party later on,” said Dwivedi, adding that “no time-frame was announced”.

A senior Congress leader argued that party president Sonia Gandhi had ruled herself out for the post of Prime Minister, and Rahul would be her natural successor.
Not first time

This is for the second time in a week that Digvijay Singh’s remarks have forced the Congress to issue clarification. Earlier this week, his remarks seeking to link BJP leaders to the serial blasts at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya had triggered a row.

“The Congress party believes that there should be no kite-flying on such grave incidents,” party spokesman Bhakt Charan Das had said, sidestepping questions on whether it meant that the party was distancing itself from Singh’s remarks.

Singh is no stranger to controversy, as his remarks, including those on two power centres within the Congress, and on observations of the Supreme Court on the CBI report on coal block allocations, have stirred up a hornet’s nest.
DH News Service