<p>Hours before the Bharat Jodo Yatra's launch, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday once again pitched for Rahul Gandhi as Congress president, saying it will be easier to "face challenges" if he takes over as the party head.</p>.<p>His comments came at a press conference here when he was asked about Rahul becoming the party chief during the course of the 3,570 km Kanyakumari to Kashmir 'padayatra'.</p>.<p>While Congress is scheduled to have its presidential election on October 17, Rahul has made it clear that he does not want to return as party chief, insisting that a non-Gandhi should helm the party.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/lost-my-father-to-politics-of-hate-but-will-not-lose-country-to-it-rahul-gandhi-1142972.html"><strong>Also read | Lost my father to politics of hate, but will not lose country to it: Rahul Gandhi</strong></a></p>.<p>"A large number of Congress people have expressed their wish to have Rahul Gandhi back at the helm...The country is facing a number of enormous challenges. It is easier to face these challenges if Rahul-ji is the party president," he said.</p>.<p>The comments by Gehlot is interesting as Congress president Sonia Gandhi had urged the Rajasthan Chief Minister to take the leadership of the party, while he is reluctant to leave the CM post. He is also learnt to have demanded that he gets to keep Chief Ministership or allow him to nominate his loyalist to the post to avoid his bete noir Sachin Pilot getting the post.</p>.<p>Gehlot said that Rahul should not take a backseat and if someone has the ability to bring all together, it is the former party chief.</p>.<p>He recalled that Rahul had taken responsibility for the 2019 Lok Sabha election debacle and resigned, saying that Rahul back then told the Congress Working Committee that he would work for the party and would not want to be the the president again.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/congress-wants-to-relaunch-rahul-gandhi-with-rally-as-no-one-wants-to-head-it-says-bjp-1142071.html"><strong>Also read: Congress wants to relaunch Rahul Gandhi with rally as no one wants to head it, says BJP</strong></a></p>.<p>Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal also said that Rahul will not file nominations for the presidential polls.</p>.<p>Gehlot further said that no Gandhi family member became Prime Minister or central government minister in the last 30 years despite having a chance.</p>.<p>"No family in the world had kept themselves away from power...Sonia Gandhi was not even interested in joining the party. We requested her repeatedly. We told her the generations to come will not forgive if the Congress gets disintegrated," he said, adding that the Gandhi family has "high credibility".</p>
<p>Hours before the Bharat Jodo Yatra's launch, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday once again pitched for Rahul Gandhi as Congress president, saying it will be easier to "face challenges" if he takes over as the party head.</p>.<p>His comments came at a press conference here when he was asked about Rahul becoming the party chief during the course of the 3,570 km Kanyakumari to Kashmir 'padayatra'.</p>.<p>While Congress is scheduled to have its presidential election on October 17, Rahul has made it clear that he does not want to return as party chief, insisting that a non-Gandhi should helm the party.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/lost-my-father-to-politics-of-hate-but-will-not-lose-country-to-it-rahul-gandhi-1142972.html"><strong>Also read | Lost my father to politics of hate, but will not lose country to it: Rahul Gandhi</strong></a></p>.<p>"A large number of Congress people have expressed their wish to have Rahul Gandhi back at the helm...The country is facing a number of enormous challenges. It is easier to face these challenges if Rahul-ji is the party president," he said.</p>.<p>The comments by Gehlot is interesting as Congress president Sonia Gandhi had urged the Rajasthan Chief Minister to take the leadership of the party, while he is reluctant to leave the CM post. He is also learnt to have demanded that he gets to keep Chief Ministership or allow him to nominate his loyalist to the post to avoid his bete noir Sachin Pilot getting the post.</p>.<p>Gehlot said that Rahul should not take a backseat and if someone has the ability to bring all together, it is the former party chief.</p>.<p>He recalled that Rahul had taken responsibility for the 2019 Lok Sabha election debacle and resigned, saying that Rahul back then told the Congress Working Committee that he would work for the party and would not want to be the the president again.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/congress-wants-to-relaunch-rahul-gandhi-with-rally-as-no-one-wants-to-head-it-says-bjp-1142071.html"><strong>Also read: Congress wants to relaunch Rahul Gandhi with rally as no one wants to head it, says BJP</strong></a></p>.<p>Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal also said that Rahul will not file nominations for the presidential polls.</p>.<p>Gehlot further said that no Gandhi family member became Prime Minister or central government minister in the last 30 years despite having a chance.</p>.<p>"No family in the world had kept themselves away from power...Sonia Gandhi was not even interested in joining the party. We requested her repeatedly. We told her the generations to come will not forgive if the Congress gets disintegrated," he said, adding that the Gandhi family has "high credibility".</p>
