Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday appeared to suggest that she might retire after her son Rahul Gandhi formally takes charge of the party on Saturday.
Sonia was asked by the media on what role she sees for herself in the party, after Rahul becomes Congress' national president. She said, "My role is to retire."
#BREAKING -- Sonia Gandhi indicates that she may retire from politics after Rahul Gandhi takes over Congress | @_pallavighosh with more details pic.twitter.com/UJMeccxd0F
— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 15, 2017
However, she didn't elaborate on whether she is retiring as party national president alone, or if she wants to step down from active politics altogether. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, however, tweeted that Sonia Gandhi was not retiring from politics.
Would sincerely request friends in the media to not rely upon innuendos.
Smt. Sonia Gandhi has retired as President of Indian National Congress and not from politics. Her blessings, wisdom and innate commitment to Congress ideology shall always be our guiding light.
— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 15, 2017
If Sonia is taking a break from politics, she would have to relinquish her parliamentary post and constituency. Sonia Gandhi is the Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareili constituency, a seat she has held since 2004.
File image of Sonia Gandhi with son Rahul. PTI
Speculation has been rife in recent years that her daughter Priyanka Gandhi has been groomed to take charge of the party. But while she campaigned for her brother and mother in the past, she has shied away from dabbling in active politics herself.
In recent years, Rahul has been taking an increasingly active role in the affairs of the Congress party, letting Sonia take a backseat. He led the party's campaign for Assembly elections in Gujarat, a state Sonia didn't once campaign in. Results to the Gujarat Assembly polls will be announced on Monday, two days after Rahul's official swearing-in as Congress president. He will become the fifth member of the Gandhi-Nehru family to ascend to the top post of the Congress party.
Sonia has been president of the Congress party since 1998, seven years after her husband, Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated.
Published Date: Dec 15, 2017 12:38 pm | Updated Date: Dec 15, 2017 01:43 pm
