Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday demanded that former party president Rahul Gandhi returns to take over the mantle of the grand old party and fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Rajya Sabha MP also backed AICC general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh and Rahul's sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to fight the BJP government in the state, which according to him slipped under 'Jungle Raaj' since the Congress party was dislodged from power.
"The whole Congress party young and old everyone stands behind you and are ready to make whatever sacrifice you demand. So Rahul ji please lead," said Singh, who was once also dubbed as the political mentor of Rahul Gandhi when he stepped down after his party’s dismal show in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
Singh fired a series of tweets on Saturday in response to a media report claiming that the Congress party was hearing voices of dissent from within, especially against Rahul-Priyanka's aggressive stance on PM Narendra Modi. The report blamed 'Old Guards' of the party to have been opposing the brother-sister duo for their stance on the Prime Minister and wanted them to surrender the political space they occupy within the party.
Besides, it is also widely believed that Rahul Gandhi had quit the top post in the party after 2019 debacle in disgust and wanted the 'Old Guards' to take responsibility but most of them did not oblige. After he left, there were talks that the 'Old Guards', shelved by Rahul, had made an effective comeback in the party under AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
"I personally support the aggressive stand which Rahulji and Priyanka ji are taking on issue of national interest in India and UP," Singh said, adding that why those who do not appreciate this leave the party. He also underlined the fact that none opposed Rahul Gandhi within the Congress party and it was all an imagination of the media.
Besides, it is being speculated that the former party chief could make a comeback to helm the party soon.
Lauding Rahul over his leadership skills and questioning his decision to quit as the AICC chief after defeat in 2019 polls, Singh said, "He had virtually emerged as main challenger to Modi in 2019 and should have continued to build the party either as AICC president or as Leader of Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sbaha. Why did he voluntarily withdraw from the scene."
However, the Rajya Sabha MP called for an urgent need to revive the party organisation right from booth level to All India Congress Committee.
At the same time, Congress leadership must take up the challenge of building the party organisation brick by brick, Singh said, adding that he was sure that Rahul and Priyanka had the courage to take over the "invincible duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah".
He affirmed that PM Modi and Amit Shah were under the misconception that that they would browbeat the Nehru-Gandhi family with threats from ED, IT and CBI. This family is brave enough to have fought the British and fearlessly spent years in jail, he added.
The Nehru-Gandhi family and other senior Congress leaders including former Union Finance minister P Chidambaram have been under the scanner of various investigative agencies over the past few years. "I admire Chidambaram ji for not bowing down to them even after they jailed him on cooked-up charges," said Singh, who had pulled out of his political exile last year.
However, those that know Singh from close quarters believe that he is a crafty politician and has a knack of triggering such debates on national issues to hog limelight and the recent tweets are just an extension of his policy. Singh, who had been the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for ten years, had been stripped of charge of many states in last few years and has no key responsibility in the party organisation presently.
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