From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Congress is on the backfoot on the election of its new president that is scheduled to begin from August 20 as Rahul Gandhi has not yet given his consent to take over the responsibility from his mother Sonia Gandhi.
No clarity as yet in the party on who should take the mantle in case Rahul declines to be the party president again, a post he quit after the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.
There is, however, a speculation that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot(71) may be chosen for the post if Rahul declines. He is an OBC (Other Backward Class) leader with Mali (gardner) as his caste. Sources, however, say Gehlot has not yet given his consent.
If he agrees, an immediate fallout will be anointment of his rival 44-year old Sachin Pilot, former deputy chief minister and former Rajasthan Congress president who is in the waiting to be the CM since he led an unsuccessful revolt against Gehlot in July 2020.
Yet another candidate, who may be persuaded to take the responsibility is Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Khrge (80) as he is a prominent Dalit face of the party.
Meanwhile, the Congress may postpone the Congress President’s election citing the surge in Covid-19 infections in the country. It cited this surge on Thursday for postponing its anti-inflation rally at the Ramlila Grounds in Delhi.
It announced that the “Mehangai par Hulla bol” rally that was to take place on August 28 is now postponed to September 4. It hopes that Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is down with Covid-19 infection for second time and convalescing at home, will be back in action to address the Ramlila Grounds rally.
AICC general secretary (organisation) on Thursday chaired a meeting of the AICC office-bearers and the state leaders at the AICC headquarters to discuss the agitation programmes as also take an update on the organisational elections concluded so far. Both Ashok Gehlot and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel were present in the meeting., but missing were Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
