Rahul firm on resigning, asks Congress leaders to find his replacement: Reports

Even as the Congress warned media to stay away from the 'trap of conjectures' regarding Rahul Gandhi's next move, speculations are rife that the party president is adamant on his resignation. Rahul Gandhi is firm on stepping down from the party leadership and has informed top Congress leaders that he was not taking back his resignation. Reportedly, Rahul has asked his close aides in Congress to find a new party president. 

Unsurprisingly, the Congress is heading to a full-blown crisis following the party's debacle. Rahul first indicated his intention to step down during the Congress Working Committee meeting on Saturday, even as party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, later that day, rubbished media reports citing the same. However, on Monday, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his stand to two top leaders—Ahmed Patel and K.C. Venugopal. 

According to NDTV, while Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that he would not reconsider his decision to step down, his mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are not in league with him. "Ahmed Patel, his mother's closest aide, apparently warned him at today's meeting that the Congress will split if a Gandhi does not helm it," NDTV reported. Priyanka said the entire top brass of the party left Rahul Gandhi alone to fight it out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Sonia Gandhi, on the other hand, reportedly said the Gandhis do not quit public responsibility. She said Rahul has a huge legacy to live up to and must not duck the responsibility of ensuring that India's oldest political party does not splinter.

Rahul has informed that he was willing to stay to ensure a smooth transition. "He has told the Congress he is willing to remain a dedicated party worker, but his sister or mother cannot replace him, which was the desperate Working Committee's default option," the report added. 

At the CWC meeting on Saturday, Gandhi accused three senior leaders—Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P. Chidambaram—of placing their sons above the party. As the party grapples with a severe existential crisis, its governments in both Karnataka and Rajasthan face a tough time with reports suggesting the BJP may try to wrest power in both states.

Meanwhile, as crisis beset the opposition party, its chief spokesperson Surjewala on Monday urged everyone to respect the sanctity of the CWC meeting and asked the media not to fall into the trap of "conjectures, insinuations, gossip and rumour-mongering".

Surjewala said it is a democratic forum for exchange of ideas and taking corrective action. It was a "closed-door" meeting and any speculation about it was unwarranted and uncalled for, he added.

He was reacting to news reports about happenings at the May 25 meeting, the first of the CWC after the Congress's humiliating defeat in the parliamentary polls.

"The Congress party expects everyone, including the media, to respect the sanctity of a closed-door meeting of the CWC. Various conjectures, speculation, insinuations, assumptions, gossip and rumour-mongering in a section of the media is uncalled for and unwarranted.

"The CWC held a collective deliberation on the performance of the party, the challenges before it as also the way ahead, instead of casting aspersions on the role or conduct of any specific individual. The gist of the deliberations was made public in the CWC resolution of May 25, 2019," the Congress leader said in a statement. 

In the midst of the disquiet, several state Congress chiefs, including Punjab's Sunil Jakhar, Jharkhand's Ajoy Kumar and Assam's Ripun Bora, also offered to resign following the party's drubbing in the elections, party insiders said. The Congress won only 52 out of 542 parliamentary seats in the Lok Sabha polls, just six more than its 2014 tally. The party could not open its account in 18 states and union territories.

(With PTI inputs)