After Congress' abysmal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi was quite insistent to resign from the post of its president at the Congress Working Committee meeting. However, his offer was unanimously rejected by most of the senior party leaders. His move has triggered such uncertainty that the AICC urged the media not to speculate on issues arising out of CWC meeting held last week.
Senior leaders tried to convince him saying he had led from the front and there was no reason for him to be disheartened. After A K Antony, Ahmed Patel and Chidambaram sought to comfort him, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Rahul would be falling into the trap of BJP if he quit. Other leaders also chimed in, urging him to stay put. Interestingly, a veteran said there was nobody to step into his shoes and that “workers would commit suicide” if he quit.
Interestingly, according to sources, when one participant remarked who else could lead the party, Rahul interjected, “why only us?” It was viewed as a reference to the Gandhi family. Rahul apparently said anyone could become the Congress president. The CWC later rejected his offer of resignation and told him that he had full freedom to take all measures necessary for organisational overhaul of the party at all levels.
Several Congress leaders and workers took to social media to extend support to the Congress chief with a hashtag ‘IStandWithRahulGandhi’, lauding him for his efforts leading up the Lok Sabha elections and insisting that electoral loss should not be seen as the end of the road. “‘You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.’ We are with you in this battle,” All India Mahila Congress said on Twitter.
Amid dramatic scenes that saw the leader accept responsibility for the Lok Sabha debacle, he lashed out at senior leaders for putting the interests of their sons ahead of the party. Rahul highlighted how Congress abysmally performed in states where Congress was in power. He also criticised the senior leadership for not aggressively campaigning against BJP and leaving him to wage a solitary battle. Sources said Rahul specifically mentioned the Rafale deal and the associated slogan “chowkidar chor hai”, asking for a show of hand by CWC members who had followed his suit.
As things stood, Congress appeared unsettled by the events set in motion by the CWC meeting that reviewed the election debacle. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot left without meeting Rahul, having to settle with discussions with AICC organisation incharge K C Venugopal. It triggered reports that Rahul continued to be unhappy with the Rajasthan leader.
