Cong looks for hints in Rahul's meeting with leaders

Congress president Rahul Gandhi's decision to meet party leaders from poll-bound states is seen as an indication of his intention of continuing in the top party post, which he had offered to quit after the Lok Sabha debacle.

Rahul, who had been avoiding meeting party leaders after his offer to quit was rejected by the Congress Working Committee, has summoned leaders from Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra over the next couple of days to plan for the upcoming elections in the states.

“He is meeting leaders of poll-bound states, it is an indication that he is here to stay,” a senior Congress leader told DH here.

Rahul had offered to quit as Congress president at the meeting of the CWC after the party's humiliating loss in the Lok Sabha elections and sought to blame half-hearted efforts by several veteran leaders in taking of the Modi government.

Exactly a month ago, the CWC had rejected Rahul's offer to resign and instead, authorised him to revamp and overhaul the party organisation. In the past one week, Congress had dissolved the party unit in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, signalling the beginning of the restructuring exercise.

Similar decisions are expected in other states as well, but for now, Rahul has turned his attention to the poll-bound states where the Congress is witnessing large-scale infighting.

Last week, Rahul for the first time had stated in public that he was firm on stepping down as Congress president and it was for the party to choose his successor.

A number of Congress leaders have voiced concern over uncertainty over the leadership in the party and had even approached former Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Sonia is learnt to have left it to Rahul to take a decision on the issue.

On Monday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had met Rahul to discuss the organisational revamp in the state.