Demand grows in Congress for Rahul’s return as its chief

New Delhi: As the Winter Session concludes, Congress leaders are all set to step up their demand to bring Rahul Gandhi back as party chief. The Congress has planned a rally against the government’s economic policies December 14. The rally is likely to be more a show of strength for Mr Gandhi than an attack on the NDA government on its economic policies. At the rally, Congress workers will insist on getting Mr Gandhi back, wear Rahul Gandhi masks and trend with the hashtag #BringBackRahul on the social media.

In the past couple of days several leaders, including AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal and the Rajasth an and Chhattisgarh chief ministers have openly said Mr Gandhi is the only alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Gandhi quit as party chief after the Lok Sabha debacle in May this year. After many attempts by Congress leaders to make him continue, he refused to take back his resignation, and after a marathon Congress Working Committee meeting Mrs Sonia Gandhi was made the party’s interim president.

Last month many party leaders trended a Twitter hashtag #MyLeaderRG. The last two Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019 were fought under the leadership of Mr Gandhi. In both, the Congress suffered massive electoral reversals. He was first made party vice-president in January 2013 and president in December 2017. In the past five months as interim chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi has improved the Congress’ position in states that went to the polls. The party substantially increased its tally in Haryana and eventually formed the government in Maharashtra. In Jharkhand, where Assembly polls are now on, the Congress is upbeat about removing the BJP from power.

Party insiders claim the present system in the Congress is working fine, and there is no need for a “knee jerk reaction”. They further add if any change has to come into effect, it should be gradual rather than a forced one.