While offering his resignation, Rahul Gandhi had made it clear to the top Congress leader that a Non-Gandhi family member should succeed him.
New Delhi| The conundrum of the Congress party over picking its new party chief has cast a shadow over the party’s functioning in the recent days. After facing a defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, party chief Rahul Gandhi is no more interested in running the show. In the CWC meeting, he had offered to resign from the post of party president. But the top decision-making body of the Congress refused to accept his resignation. But the Gandhi scion is adamant on stepping down. In the light of these events, the party may have found a new face to head the party in Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
According to a report published in the Navbharat Times, senior Congress leader and once considered Rahul Gandhi’s mentor, Gehlot might take up the baton.
Rahul insists on Non-Gandhi family face:
While offering his resignation, Rahul Gandhi had made it clear to the top Congress leader that a Non-Gandhi family member should succeed him. This is widely seen as his solution in response to the criticism that dynasty politics is prevalent in the party. He had given clear instructions that even the name of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should not be considered for the next party chief.
In the last decade, the dynasty politics in the party has been an issue in almost all elections and is one of the major argument of BJP against the Congress. If Gehlot is made Party President, it may put a stop to those allegations.
Ashok Gehlot tried to pursue Rahul Gandhi against his decision:
According to the report, Ashok Gehlot had requested Rahul Gandhi to consider his decision of giving up the party president position. But Rahul seems to be firm on his decision that he does not want to continue. The party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election as it won only 52 seats which were not even enough to put up a leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. Rahul Gandhi himself lost from his traditional bastion Amethi but won from Wayanad.
Why Ashok Gehlot?
Ashok Gehlot is a seasoned politician and has been Congress loyalist for decades. He is not only Gandhi family’s trusted aide but is also respected across the party ranks. He has a robust experience of running a party organization. Even the 2017 Gujrata Assembly election performance of the party in which it put up a tough fight to BJP is credited to Gehlot.
Sachin Pilot to be the new Rajasthan Chief Minister?
Ashok Gehlot is currently serving as Chief Minister of Rajasthan. If he is made the next party president then he will have to step down from his post. This means the second-in-command, Deputy Chief Minister and young face Sachin Pilot may take over as the Chief Minister. Congress had won Rajasthan Assembly Election in December last year. However, it couldn’t win even a single seat in the Lok Sabha election. This had sparked off a debate between the Gehlot and Pilot camp. With Gehlot taking over as Congress President, the party expects the rift in Rajasthan will end too.
However, there is no official confirmation from the party about the same.
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