Congress Should Take Clear-cut Decision on Appointing Party Chief as Soon as Possible: Shashi Tharoor

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shashi Tharoon on Monday said the Congress party should be clear about its leadership role going forward and make a clear decision on its president as soon as possible. He also said former president Rahul Gandhi would be welcomed back to the post.

Tharoor's remarks came on a day when interim president Sonia Gandhi completed a year in the post.

"We should be clear about our leadership going forward. I welcomed Sonia ji's appointment as interim president last year. But I do believe it is unfair to her to expect her to carry this burden indefinitely," he said.

"If Rahul Gandhi is ready to resume the leadership, he only has to withdraw his resignation. I think party workers, Congress Working Committee and everyone will accept that because he was the incumbent president elected in December 2017," added Tharoor.

Rahul Gandhi had stepped down from the post of party chief after the Lok Sabha election results last May.

"If he says no, I don't want to come back, then the question that many of the party members are asking - 'How long can we carry on like this?' - that is the question," said Tharoor. "We would ideally like a clear-cut decision as soon as possible."

(with inputs from ANI)