The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution declaring that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s national president, a spokesperson said in Lucknow.
State Congress chief Raj Babbar moved the resolution at a meeting of party functionaries, including city and district unit presidents.
“The resolution was passed unanimously,” party spokesperson Amarnath Agarwal said.
Mr. Gandhi has been the Congress vice president since 2013 and has been assisting his 70-year-old mother Sonia Gandhi, who heads the party. Ms. Gandhi took over as the party president from Sitaram Kesari in 1998 and is the longest-serving head of the party in its 131-year history.
The UPCC has taken this decision in one voice that Mr. Gandhi be made the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president, Mr. Babbar said at the meeting.
“This is the duty of all Congressmen that the one who has given us new strength and power, and has taken the values of Mahatma Gandhi forward, be made the AICC president...We will become the strength of Rahulji and work under his leadership,” Mr. Agarwal quoted Mr. Babbar as saying.
Other speakers at the meeting, including party MP Sanjay Singh, MLA Aradhana Misra and MLC Deepak Singh also lauded Mr. Gandhi, calling him the “messiah of labourers and farmers” and urged him to rid the country of BJP rule.
The resolution will now be sent to the AICC, Mr. Agarwal said.
Several other State units of the Congress, including Maharashtra, Goa and Delhi have also passed similar resolutions.