As Sonia agrees to stay on as interim president, local leaders say bigger battles await party
Most party members want Rahul to be at helm of affairs
Post a fiery meeting, a temporary though uneasy peace seems to have come over the Congress, with Sonia Gandhi agreeing to stay on as chief at least for a while.
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Without commenting directly on the happenings yesterday, Ganesh Yadav, Mumbai Youth Congress president said, "Rahulji should be elevated to the president's post. The Congress has to stand united, we have to fight bigger forces like the BJP."
Some in the Congress put on a defiant face, saying that this so-called tumult is democracy in action. Anita Shekhar-Castellino, convenor, legal cell of the Mahila Congress said, "This is not a tumult. It is democracy in action, where everyone is allowed to ask questions. I know for sure that the Congress will emerge stronger.
The Congress believes in democracy and this principle will be applied to all its future decisions, including who will lead the party. Do you think anyone can ask questions to the Prime Minister or the Home Minister?" she shot back in a hard dig at the BJP.
'It is about hard work'
For Karan Adik, chairman, Mumbai Congress Legal Department, it is about, "the hard work and effort put in by Sonia Gandhiji and Rahul Gandhiji. There is no doubt about their gruelling task of trying to revive the party in exceptionally tough times. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting will have to chart a dynamic course of ideological and organisational revival if the party has to stay relevant."
Mathew Antony, president of All India Professionals Congress (Maharashtra) said, "The country should be proud and happy to witness the presence of internal democracy within the Congress. It helps to discuss things internally and find resolutions. There is nothing extraordinary or revolting within the Congress. It will sound extraordinary for the BJP, as there is no such internal democracy within the party."
Also Read: Call for Congress reforms meets resistance from loyalists
Fighting spirit
"Rahulji should lead," said Satyajeet Tambe, president of Maharashtra Youth Congress. Tambe added, "This is the sentiment amongst party workers. Most of them feel that only the Gandhi family can lead the party in a better way, though this is not to say that we do not have any non-Gandhi leadership. We saw Rahulji's work in the 2014 and 2019 election run up, the way he created a campaign for the mandate. The fighting spirit was displayed." Tambe put his finger on the pulse of the people when he said, "In 2014, the BJP came to power because they wanted change. Then, in 2019 people thought that it is good to give Narendra Modi more time. In 2014, people used to say, 'corrupt Congress, it has eaten up money'. That narrative has changed and we want Rahul Gandhi as we march towards another election."
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