The day Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge takes oath as Congress party president, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that till the very last minute, all efforts were on to make Rahul Gandhi the party president.
Delhi | Till the last minute, efforts were made to make Rahul Gandhi the party president as only he can challenge Modi and govt. Today is a new beginning. We congratulate Mallikarjun Kharge Ji and will work to strengthen the party: Rajasthan CM and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot pic.twitter.com/Yz4V0ONfQC
— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2022
Gehlot was also one of the contenders for the post of party chief but he did not want to give up on bring Rajasthan Chief Minister. Gehlot, while speaking to mediapersons ahead of oath taking ceremony by Kharge, said that only Rahul Gandhi could challenge PM Modi and current government and hence till last minute efforts were made to make him the party president. Rahul Gandhi was made the party President in December 2017, soon after Gujarat state assembly elections ahead of the 2019 general elections.
However, after the party’s disastrous performance in 2019 general elections, Rahul Gandhi stepped down and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who was the party president before him since 1998, again became the party ‘interim’ President. Since then, many senior Congress leaders had expressed that the party needs a change in top leadership. However, Gandhi family loyalists continued to oppose any such proposal stating only Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi are fit and capable to lead the party.
Finally, the party decided to hold elections earlier this month and after many names that were floated, Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor were zeroed in on. Many had said that the Gandhi family was backing Kharge and that was quite evident from the almost one-sided elections.
Today, Gehlot’s statement that the party leaders still have more faith in Rahul Gandhi than they have in their newly elected party president says quite a lot. Netizens wondered if this statement of Gehlot meant they don’t consider Kharge, a tall Dalit leader from Karnataka, worthy of being the party president.
This clear means they don't consider Kharge ji as president https://t.co/W9aKAxNtJd
— Karwarkar (@Karwardude) October 26, 2022
Netizens pointed out how Gehlot and other Gandhi family loyalists perhaps don’t consider Kharge their party president.
Aise fight karoge ? pic.twitter.com/NLrZ0XBhcx
— Anurag (@Anurag84697227) October 26, 2022
Some also pulled up senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s quote where he had said whoever becomes party president, he would still be working under the Gandhis. Singh was also one of the runners for the post of party president.
When senior party members themselves don't have or exude confidence, how will the Party revive itself by propping up someone whose report card is in the negative? Or do these senior members want a level playing field to continue their own agenda?
— Venkateshwaran Swamy (@venkat_mdu) October 26, 2022
Many also expressed disappointment at senior party leaders declaring game over even before it begins.
