Ending a month-long drama since devastating defeat in the Lok Sabha election, today Congress president Rahul Gandhi publicly announced his resignation from the post, sticking to his decision. He posted a four-page letter on Twitter reiterating his decision to step down from the post of Congress president, and also taking responsibility for the election results.
It is an honour for me to serve the Congress Party, whose values and ideals have served as the lifeblood of our beautiful nation.
I owe the country and my organisation a debt of tremendous gratitude and love.
Jai Hind ?? pic.twitter.com/WWGYt5YG4V
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 3, 2019
The entire Congress party spent the last month trying to convince Rahul Gandhi not to resign and continue as Congress president. The Congress Working Committee had immediately rejected his resignation which was tendered just a few days after the declaration of election results. This was followed by a long line of Congress leaders, chief ministers including, queueing up in front of Rahul Gandhi’s residence to convince him. But the Kerala MP remained adamant, and now it seems the Congress party will have to choose a new President, and to their horror, probably from outside the family, until and unless Priyanka Vadra steps in.
In the letter, Rahul Gandhi says that he is taking responsibility for party’s bad performance, where he admits that the party needs a new leadership that could lead the fight against BJP and the RSS. However, the second half of the same letter he hints that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were not free and fair.
Rahul Gandhi says that Congress party didn’t fight a political party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but they fought the entire machinery of the Indian state. He alleged that every institution of the country was marshalled against the opposition. He says that once cherished institution neutrality no longer exists in India.
From the letter, it It appears that Rahul Gandhi is confused whether it was his lacklustre leadership that limited Congress to just a little over 50 Lok Sabha seats, or whether it was some grand conspiracy by the BJP where all institutions were compromised and made to work against Congress.
If Rahul Gandhi genuinely believes that Congress lost due to unfair elections – and there have been reports earlier that he was planning a nation-wide agitation against EVMs – then why is he being unfair to himself and resigning taking the responsibility?
And if he genuinely believes that Congress lost due to issues with his leadership, why is he bringing issues about an unfair election and compromised institutions? Is it to give excuses for Congressmen to do drama where they will blame it all on “rigged elections” and plead Rahul Gandhi not to go? Is it a hint that Congress will now start another round of “institutions under attack” narrative because Rahul Gandhi needs a face-saver?
According to latest reports, veteran Congress leader and a co-accused in the National Herald scam, Motilal Vora will be the interim president of the Congress party till a new president is elected.
