Rahul adamant on resignation, wants a non-Gandhi as next Congress president

Sources on Saturday claimed that Rahul is reluctant on continuing as Congress president and wants a non-Gandhi to be appointed to the post.

Rahul adamant on resignation, wants a non-Gandhi as next Congress president

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi still remains adamant on quitting as the party president despite the party's highest decision-making body – the Congress Working Committee – categorically refusing to accept his offer to resign from the top post.

Sources on Saturday claimed that Rahul is not keen on continuing as Congress president and wants a 'non-Gandhi' to be appointed to the post.

The CWC, which met this afternoon, had rejected Rahul's offer to resign in the wake of party's debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

But sources claimed that he has been insisting that his resignation is accepted and has not withdrawn his offer to quit.

 

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While calling for a ''thorough introspection'', the CWC also authorised Rahul to completely overhaul the party, allowing him to go for a detailed restructuring at every level of the party and prepare a roadmap to guide the party in future.

A resolution adopted by the CWC said that Gandhi, in his address to the party`s highest decision-making body, offered his resignation as party chief but ''it was rejected unanimously''. 

"The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times. The CWC unanimously called upon the Congress President to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of India`s youth, the farmers, the SC/ST/OBCs, the minorities, the poor and the deprived sections," the resolution said.

It said that the Congress Working Committee accepts the Lok Sabha election verdict and fully recognizes the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings emerging from the mandate. 

"The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress president for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest," the resolution said. 

The party's highest decision-making body also expressed its gratitude to crores of voters who have stood behind the Congress during the elections.

Though Congress has lost the election but "our indomitable courage, our fighting spirit and commitment to our ideology remains stronger than ever", the resolution said.

"We shall continue its fight against forces that thrive on hatred and division."

The CWC said that Congress would continue to play a constructive role to overcome these serious challenges, as it hoped that the government will address these issues as its top priority.

The working committee also thanked all its allies who joined hands with the Congress party "to fight the ideological battle".

The CWC meeting was called to review the party's poor performance in the 2019 polls two days after the results were declared by the Election Commission of India. 

Under Rahul's leadership, the Congress managed to win just 52 seats in the 2019 polls.