Rahul Gandhi had resigned as head of Congress after the debacle of the 2019 elections. (File)
New Delhi:
After two disastrous exits in back-to-back national elections, Rahul Gandhi may not be the best bet for the revival of the Congress party, one of 23 veterans who have found themselves cornered for his so-called letter of dissent to Chief Sonia Gandhi, he said. to NDTV on billboards. that the cracks in the 135-year-old outfit are far from being repaired.
“We are no longer in a position to say that Rahul Gandhi will be able to lead the party and help us win 400 seats in 2024. We must realize that in two Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019, the party has failed to get the required seats. “said one of the key signers of the letter, requesting not to be identified.
In recent months, there have been growing calls for Rahul Gandhi to return as head of Congress. Gandhi had resigned after the 2019 election debacle and two months later his mother, Sonia Gandhi, returned as acting boss.
“From Nagpur to Shimla (in the northern half of the country), the party has 16 seats, of which eight are from Punjab. We must realize that we are in India and there is a different reality. If there is a meeting, I will expose my views on this issue, ”said the leader who was instrumental in writing it and obtaining signatures.
Stating that the battle is not about individuals but about issues, he reiterated his commitment to the party and said that helping to build an alternative narrative based on strong constitutional values will help Congress.
According to him, most of those who write letters say that being in politics for a long time, they are committed to the party and have the highest respect for Sonia Gandhi. They say that the problems that have been raised will help the party survive and succeed in taking on the BJP.
Sonia Gandhi, the leader said, is impartial, keeps her word and will definitely address her problems.
On whether they have been sidelined by the party’s new parliamentary lineup, letter writers say too much is being read. The committee also existed before and the only novelty is the incorporation of Jairam Ramesh as the main whip; Q Chidambaram, as chair of the ordinance committee, will also be part of the committee, they said.
The letter writers say they will continue to meet and discuss their concerns and are focused on raising them despite the “loyalists and sycophants” attacking them and constructing a narrative that Rahul Gandhi is a natural leader.
The group of congressional veterans had been the target of a stormy meeting Monday for sending the letter calling for radical reforms, fair internal elections and “full-time and visible leadership” that they sent to Sonia Gandhi, who took over as acting chief. after the resignation of her son Rahul Gandhi last year.
But after heavy attacks, accusations and clashes, the meeting ended on a conciliatory note with Sonia Gandhi saying that all was forgiven.
The party backed Gandhi’s leadership and vowed to boost Sonia and Rahul Gandhi at a time when they have been at the forefront of the opposition’s fight against central government policies. Sonia Gandhi would continue as acting head of Congress until a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is convened in six months, the party said.
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