Stalin dials Rahul, asks him not to resign

DMK President M K Stalin on Tuesday dialled his Congress counterpart Rahul Gandhi and asked him not to step down as President of the national party. In the telephonic conversation, Stalin told Rahul that though he has lost the elections, he has managed to win the hearts of the people.

The development assumes significance since it comes three days after Rahul Gandhi decided to step down as Congress President owning moral responsibility for the defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. While Rahul Gandhi is stubborn about his decision, senior leaders are making their last-ditch effort to convince him to take back the resignation.

Stalin is the first UPA ally to have projected Rahul Gandhi as a Prime Ministerial face in December last year. The DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu had announced Rahul Gandhi as their Prime Ministerial candidate.

On Tuesday, Stalin spoke to Rahul Gandhi and asked him to reconsider his decision to quit as Congress President. “You have won the hearts of the people. So, please don’t quit,” Stalin is believed to have told Rahul Gandhi during the conversation.

Rahul Gandhi congratulated Stalin for the stupendous performance of the DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu that won 37 of the 38 seats that went to polls. The DMK President also spoke to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.