Rahul parries query on party president post

KANNIYAKUMARI:  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that he has made his decision on whether he will take up party presidency but did not divulge his plans, asserting that he will give his reasons if he does not contest the upcoming elections for the post.

Gandhi’s remarks are seen by many in the party as an indication that he may stick to his earlier stance of not taking up the party chief’s post. With his cryptic remarks the suspense over who would be the next president of the grand old party continued.

Addressing a press conference here on the second day of the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the former party chief said the Kanyakumari-Kashmir march was being undertaken to undo the “damage” done by the BJP-RSS and would also help in forging Opposition unity, even though that is a separate exercise.

“This foot-march is a journey. It is also an attempt to understand the ground reality in the country, and to undo some of the damages the RSS and BJP have meted out to the nation. The fight is not between two political parties. It is between the structure of the Indian state and those opposing it. It won’t be an easy fight. They have already captured the institutional framework of India, and they want to impose their vision on the entire country. We can’t allow that. India has multiple visions and everyone should be able to live in harmony,” Rahul said.

Asked about the second-rung party leaders taking exception to how matters are being handled in the Congress high command, Rahul said, “The BJP has its own ways of putting pressure on leaders of other parties. You all know how the Centre is using the CBI, ED and I-T department to intimidate other parties.” 
He also added that unity of the Opposition parties is the need of the hour. “Everyone has a role in the fight to defeat the BJP. Discussions are underway,” he added.

A controversy erupted over Gandhi’s white T-shirt with the BJP taking a dig at him by suggesting that he was wearing a T-shirt costing over Rs 41,000 during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress hit back saying the ruling party should also talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Rs 10-lakh suit and Rs 1.5 lakh glasses.

Responding to a question at the presser, Gandhi said he is not leading the yatra but is only participating in it. Asked if he would become the Congress president, he said, “Whether I become president or not, this will become very clear when the presidential elections of the Congress party take place.”