JOIN US2 more states pass resolution seeking Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief
The chorus for Rahul Gandhi as Congress president intensified on Tuesday with two more state units joining the bandwagon even as General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal met party chief Sonia Gandhi to discuss “organisation-related issues”, a day after presidential aspirant Shashi Tharoor met her.
Jharkhand and Haryana state units passed resolutions seeking Rahul, who is presently part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, as president - but he is unlikely to be persuaded to enter the fray, sources said, adding that he has no plans to visit Delhi between September 24 and 30, the period for filing nomination. He may also not visit Delhi on Friday, when the yatra takes its weekly break, as planned earlier.
Venugopal, who was out of the capital as part of Bharat Jodo Yatra for the past two weeks, flew to Delhi from Alappuzha on Tuesday to meet Sonia. He will be in the capital till Thursday, sources said.
At the meeting of Congress MLAs, Gehlot is learnt to have told them that one will have to follow the directions of the party High Command. However, there was no official word on what transpired in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Venugopal dismissed any suggestion that the meeting was related to the presidential election, he said that it was a “routine meeting” to apprise the party president about “certain organisational issues” as he was out of Delhi for the past two weeks.
He said there was “no scope” for a discussion on the election as the schedule has already been announced and the central leadership will remain “neutral” in a scenario where there is a contest.
Asked about state units passing resolutions favouring Rahul, Venugopal said there was nothing wrong with that as they have the freedom to do so.
“People have affection for Rahul ji and it was on display during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Last 10 years, the BJP's lie factory has been spreading lies about Rahul Gandhi and now the people of India are realising and witnessing who Rahul Gandhi is. The lie factory is being demolished and not just Congressmen, but common man are looking up to Rahul ji. If the common man has faith in him, why can’t Congress have faith in him?” he told reporters.