Make me provisional Congress chief for 2 years, will score equalizer against BJP: Former Union minister Aslam Sher Khan to Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Former Congress Union minister Aslam Sher Khan has written a letter to Rahul Gandhi offering to become provisional Congress president for a period of two years to revive the party.
"I wrote the letter when Rahul Gandhi offered to leave the post of Congress President and asked someone from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to take over his role. In the letter, I mentioned that if Rahul wanted to continue at the post he very well could, but if not, then I would like to assume the responsibility for two years," he told news agency ANI.
In the letter, the senior Congress leader says he is making this offer on the basis of experience gained during his career as an international hockey player and later as a politician.
"When playing team sports such as hockey or football, there are situations when tactical substitutions need to be made to change the dynamics of the game in order to score an equalizer goal," Aslam writes in the letter.
"If you decide to place your trust and confidence in me I assure I will leave no stone unturned and make sure that the party scores an equalizer in 2 years time," he claims, adding, "The need of the hour is to score an equalizer against the BJP which is now a 303-seat strong party by bringing the Congress party back to the grassroots and into the hearts and minds of the common masses once again."
To back up his claims, the former Union minister has cited his key role as a hockey player in the semi-final match of the 1975 World Cup and later as a Union minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government ahead of the 1996 general elections.
Aslam Sher Khan also expressed concern over the fact that for the second time in a row there is no official opposition in Lok Sabha, which he said should be a cause for concern for the Congress.
Khan added that the intent behind writing the letter was to ensure a makeover of the party and there were no hopes for any personal gains.
"The letter was not written for personal gains. It is because I believe Congress needs a makeover and it needs to be realigned with the nationalist identity. It is because of these reasons that I became ready to assume the responsibilities when the party is going through tough times," he said.
The former Union minister, however, said he did not blame Rahul for the defeat as "he left no stone unturned but the narrative of the Congress simply failed to connect with the people and they again went with Narendra Modi."
Rahul Gandhi had offered to quit as the chief in the May 25 meeting of the Congress Working Committee after the party's Lok Sabha poll debacle. The CWC had unanimously rejected his offer but Rahul is reportedly firm on quitting the post.
(With inputs from ANI)