Congress will form govt at Centre in 2019 under Rahul, says Jyotiraditya Scindia

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi should become the Congress president and, under his leadership, the party would form government at the Centre after the next general elections, senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Sunday.

His remarks at an event here came amidst a raging debate in the party over Rahul’s elevation as the party chief. While some Congress leaders are advocating his elevation, some other party leaders are of the opinion that Congress president Sonia Gandhi should not retire now.

“Rahul should become the party president and the Congress will be strengthened under his leadership. The party will succeed in forming the government in 2019 elections,” Mr Scindia said at the event.

Ahead of the Modi government’s proposed celebration on completion of three years at the Centre, he also tore into the ruling BJP-led dispensation, accusing it of fomenting intolerance and an anti-dalit atmosphere in the country.

Taking a jibe at the BJP’s campaign for a “Congress-mukt Bharat”, Mr Sindia said the government and the ruling dispensation was fomenting intolerance in the country and wanting the country free of dalits and adivasis.

“If the country has to be kept undivided and peaceful, then it has to be based on the strong foundation of communal harmony. Devel-opment and progress can be made on a strong foundation only,” Mr Scindia said. On Pakistan, the Congress leader said the government was indulging in “saree and shawl” diplomacy.

“Many jawans are being killed on the border. There were so many ceasefire violations at the border. Kashmir is burning today,” he said, accusing the government of failing to control the situation.

He also said that China was “encircling India” but the BJP-led government was showing its helplessness.