Set on Quitting as Congress Chief, Rahul Plans Wayanad Visit

Some reports suggested that Rahul has assured he would continue as the party chief till his successor is found.

New Delhi: Even as media is agog with reports of Rahul Gandhi being firm on his decision to quit the post of Congress President, reports on Tuesday said he was planning a visit to Wayanad, Kerala, to thank the electorate for voting for him. (Also read: What Transpired at CWC Meet? You Needn’t Know, Says Cong)

The Congress has had to issue a statement urging the media not to speculate on what transpired at the Congress Working Committee Congress (CWC) meeting. Sources told media that while Rahul hasn’t relented yet, he may give in since the CWC has given him the go-ahead to carry out drastic changes in the organisation.

Some reports suggested that Rahul has assured he would continue as the party chief till his successor is found. However, finding a successor also will not be easy because of the reported distrust among senior leaders.

Meanwhile, to make matters worse for the party, many state Congress presidents have either resigned or offered to quit. The resignations are also being seen as an attempt to persuade Rahul to change his mind.

As of now, Jharkhand PCC chief Ajoy Kumar, Punjab’s Sunil Jakhar, Assam’s Ripun Bora and Maharashtra’s Ashok Chavan have offered to step down. This is being seen as a way to deter Rahul from quitting instead. Some reports said that till Monday, Rahul seemed firm on his decision to quit but he was open to the idea of as the leader of the Congress in Parliament and then focus on rebuilding the party.

At the CWC meeting, Rahul had reportedly pulled up veterans Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P Chidambaram for insisting on tickets for their sons despite his reluctance. He also criticised the senior leadership for not backing him in his concerted campaign against BJP.

In Saturday’s meeting, Rahul had announced his desire to quit the post of the AICC president, which was rejected by the CWC.  However, senior leaders fear this uncertainty may further demoralise the party cadre, especially with Assembly elections coming up in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.