New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi remains adamant about not continuing as the Congress president, but he agreed on Tuesday to hold back his resignation for a month to let the party pick up a suitable replacement. But it took a lot of persuasion by Congress leaders led by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra before he relented.
Sources said he showed inclination to be the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, when the party leaders stressed that he alone has the capacity to keep Prime Minister Modi on his toes. Rahul had also told AICC Treasurer Ahmed Patel, who called on him along with Venugopal on Monday, to start searching for a new party president.
At the AICC press briefing, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera refused to answer all questions, asserting that the truth is the Congress Working Committee resolution rejecting Rahul’s resignation and everything else since then is speculation that he can’t respond to.
He asserted that the CWC is the most important decision making body of the Congress and it has already decided not to let Rahul go. What else you want me to say, he asked. Those who called on Rahul included Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. Gehlot, who was refused a meeting by Rahul on Monday, reached his residence on Tuesday only after Pilot had left. Gehlot had a meeting with Priyanka before meeting Rahul.
To deflect discussion on his resignation, Rahul tried to discuss the party’s debacle in Rajasthan, first with Pilot and then with Gehlot, but Priyanka insisted that everything can be discussed only after he decides to remain at the helm of affairs of the party, sources said. Another Congress Working Committee meeting may be called shortly to once again persuade Rahul to withdraw the resignation he had tendered.
The party sources said the meeting may consider an alternative arrangement with a backup team of the senior leaders to assist Rahul in overhauling the party at all levels. The AICC headquarters here is agog with speculation on who could be the new Congress President if Rahul does not relent.
Four names in circulation are: Punjab chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh, who protected the Congress in his state despite the Modi wave, general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot, both of whom are very close to Rahul, and Shashi Tharoor, who publicly wanted Rahul to continue in the post but expressed willingness to take on any responsibility, including that of the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha.