After Raj, Chhattisgarh & Gujarat units pass resolutions on Rahul as Congress chief

A day afterRajasthan Congress passed a resolution demanding Rahul Gandhi take over as party president, the Chhattisgarh and Gujarat unit followed suit on Sunday, in a pattern designed to pressure the Gandhi scion who is said to be reluctant to assume the top job he quit three years ago.

Meanwhile, Congress veteran P Chidambaram said Rahul has declined to take on the mantle of the party till now, “but may change his mind”. He also said consensus is the preferred course in party elections, in the absence of which the voting will take place. He said whether Rahul becomes the chief or not, he will always have a preeminent place in the party, PTI quoted him as saying.

The resolutions in favour of Rahul have come from Gujarat, and the two states that Congress, and both the CMs — Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan) and Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh) — have been prominent in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul. Gehlot is the frontrunner for the Congress president’s post if Rahul does not agree. Some other names — MallikarjunKharge, Jairam Ramesh, Digvijaya Singh, Meira Kumar and Mukul Wasnik — are also doing the rounds as standby.

The Chhattisgarh resolution was passed in a meeting of 310 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates. The meetings are being called across states to wind up the poll process at the state level to pave the way for the top poll for which nominations will start on September 24. The PCC delegates vote in the party’s presidential election.

The meetings in states, conducted by AICC pradesh returning officers, are said to have the limited agenda of authorising the incoming party president to appoint state presidents and AICC delegates who vote in the CWC elections. Ex-MP Hussain Dalwai was the PRO for Chhattisgarh who conducted the meeting in Raipur, which was attended by state Congress president Mohan Markam, Baghel, AICC state in-charge PL Punia, and PCC delegates among others. Baghel moved the resolution for Rahul.

“Keeping in view the sentiments of party workers, I think Rahul will agree (to become party chief),” he was quoted as saying.