Extending his heartiest congratulations and warmest wishes to the new Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said that his elevation would trigger the next phase of the party’s growth.
“Under the able and dynamic leadership of Rahul, I expect the Congress to not only undergo a massive revival but also embark on its next growth trajectory,” said Capt Amarinder.
He said that Rahul’s charisma and appeal, combined with his intellect and inquisitive nature, were just the recipe needed by the Congress to embrace success across the country. “With Rahul’s elevation, the party had received a fresh boost,” he said.
The infusion of young blood will lead to the re-emergence of the Congress as India’s leading political party, and the only one which could help protects its secular and democratic fabric, he added.
Capt Amarinder said that the election of Rahul, which was uncontested, caps the growing popularity of the young leader, as seen in recent months, not just within but also outside India. The massive response he has been evoking in Gujarat, where he has campaigned aggressively, endorses the fact that he is the best choice to lead the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, said Capt Amarinder.
In fact, the party would gain immensely by projecting Rahul as the prime ministerial candidate in the next parliamentary polls, said Capt Amarinder, adding that his modern outlook, his ability to carry with him party leaders and members across ranks and cadres, his grassroot connect with the people of India would all combine to lead the Congress to victory in the Lok Sabha.
Chief Minister said that Rahul had, in the past five years, evolved into a leader of the masses and the classes, as was evident in his growing popularity. “India, with its young population, needed a young leader with a forward-looking vision, yet grounded in the current realities,” he said.