Congress leaders press Rahul on elevation

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 01, 2017 : The Congress general secretaries attending a meeting on demonetisation at the AICC headquarters here on Monday urged party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to set a date for his elevation to the party’s top job.

 

Top party sources confirmed that the leaders attending the meeting conveyed to Mr. Gandhi that it did not make sense to postpone his election till the completion of the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

“Mr. Gandhi was told that since the organisational elections were on, there should be no pause — the process of electing the president should continue, so that he can take over without delay,” a senior party functionary said.

When Mr. Gandhi asked what needed to be done next, he was told that a meeting of the Congress Working Committee should be called at which the schedule for the election of president would be drawn up, following which nominations would be called for and a date set for the election.
Call for dates

Congress general secretary (organisation) Janardan Dwivedi said he had written to the party president and vice-president informing them that dates should be set for the process of election. This interaction was sandwiched between the twin meetings on demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax and was not on the agenda. Party functionaries just used a few moments to tell Mr. Gandhi not to procrastinate his elevation. Led by C.P. Joshi and followed by P.C. Chacko and Mohan Prakash, the entreaties to Mr. Gandhi come against the backdrop of growing impatience and uncertainty in the Congress about its future.

“Though Mr. Gandhi takes most decisions, they also go to Ms. Gandhi. There is a sense that no one is in control,” a party leader said.

Ms. Gandhi, whose fourth term as president ended in 2015, has virtually withdrawn from active politics. On Tuesday, for instance, ill health prevented her from attending the functions related to Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary and Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary.

The sense in the party is that there will never be that perfect moment for Mr. Gandhi’s takeover. “There will always be an election coming up; so he should take over without any delay. After all, even after he takes over, the party will face some election or the other,” a senior functionary said.

Mr. Gandhi is expected to speak to the party president, and a date for the CWC announced on Wednesday.



courtesy:The Hindu