Poll results no referendum on Rahul, says Cong

The Congress on Monday rejected suggestions that the electoral reversals faced by the party in Maharashtra and Haryana were a referendum on the leadership of vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress also went to great length to nip the “Bring Priyanka, Save Congress” chants in the bud, asserting that Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra had confined herself to the constituencies of her brother and mother – Amethi and Raebareli respectively.
In Goa, the state Congress removed party spokesperson Durgadas Kamat for calling for an end to “dynastic politics” at the Centre and the state.

Asked whether Rahul would accept responsibility for the electoral debacle, AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said crores of Congress workers have no doubt in Rahul’s leadership.

“Crores of Congress workers see the future of the party in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. We should honour the feelings of crores of workers,” he said when asked to comment on the “pro-Priyanka” slogans at the party headquarters on Sunday.

A group of 100 party workers had raised slogans at the AICC on Sunday demanding larger role for Priyanka in party affairs. “She is already playing an active role in the party. It would be a fallacy to think that the Gandhi family –Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka–as an alternative to each other. They are united in giving leadership to the party,” a senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.

“It is the media that is projecting a Rahul versus Priyanka picture at the behest of leaders keen to protect their turfs. On the contrary, all the members of the Gandhi family have decided that Rahul would be the face of the party” he added.