'Would not be involved in selection process of new party chief': Rahul

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made it clear he would stick to his decision of stepping down from the post and would not be involved in the selection process of the new party chief.

Rahul said: “I am not going to get involved in that process, otherwise it will complicate things and the party has to decide”. He said that the party will decide on who his successor will be and not him.

Gandhi is adamant on stepping down as party president following the debacle in the elections, but the CWC, the highest decision making body of the Congress, has rejected his offer to resign and asked him to restructure the party at all levels.

The Congress chief also maintained that there was "theft" in the Rafale fighter jet deal. Gandhi was responding to a question about Rafale finding a mention in President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.

"I maintain my stand that there has been theft in the Rafale jet deal," he told reporters outside Parliament.

The government has denied any corruption, wrongdoing or favouritism in the deal.