New Delhi: After weeks of desolation, the Congress headquarters lit up Wednesday to celebrate party president Rahul Gandhi’s 49th birthday.
This was Gandhi’s second appearance at the Congress headquarters after the party’s Lok Sabha poll debacle last month. At his last appearance on 25 May, Gandhi had insisted on resigning as the Congress president, but was told by the party to reconsider his decision.
In the conference room of Congress headquarters, each party leader garlanded Gandhi to wish him, party sources said.
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष @RahulGandhi के जन्मदिवस के अवसर पर कांग्रेस के नेताओं और पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं द्वारा उनका गर्मजोशी से स्वागत और शुभकामनाएं प्रेषित की गई।#HappyBirthdayRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/O0vS8ts6pl
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 19, 2019
According to sources, Delhi Congress in-charge P.C. Chacko asked Gandhi if he will “have the opportunity to work with him in the future,” to which he received a “non-committal shrug”.
“His body language and demeanour seem to send a negative message,” a senior Congress leader told ThePrint. “But we have got no other signs from him. If he wants to quit, he has to tell us to call the CWC (Congress Working Committee) and elect a new president,” he said.
The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the Congress.
Gandhi has repeatedly turned away senior Congress leaders who have wished to discuss with him his offer to resign. He even made Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wait for three to four days in Delhi, ultimately refusing to meet him, sources had earlier told ThePrint.
Also read: Congress needs another Manmohan Singh to keep Rahul’s seat warm. But there’s no one around
August gathering
The Congress head office hosted several prominent party leaders on the occasion, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Motilal Vora, senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, A.K. Antony, Ashok Gehlot, former finance minister P. Chidambaram, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, party’s general secretaries Ambika Soni and K.C. Venugopal, Uttar Pradesh (east) in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, P.C. Chacko and MP Shashi Tharoor.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, considered close confidantes of Gandhi, were conspicuous by their absence.
“A lot of senior leaders requested to meet Rahulji,” a source in the Congress told ThePrint. “This wasn’t an official event, those who wanted to meet him came for it,” he added.
“It’s a good sign that he’s meeting senior leaders,” another senior party leader told ThePrint. “We still don’t know if he (Gandhi) will continue as party president.”
‘Senior leaders responsible for poll defeat’
“Rahulji holds the senior leaders responsible for the (Lok Sabha poll) defeat,” the senior Congress leader told ThePrint, naming Azad, Antony and Ahmed Patel, who wasn’t present at the party headquarters Wednesday.
“He wants to know what work they have done for the elections,” the leader said. “He is not likely to continue as president unless the present dispensation changes,” he added.
“We don’t know what’s on Rahul Gandhi’s mind, but I have a feeling that we will have to wait till July to find out,” he said.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had last week said, “Rahul is, was and will remain party president.” He said this after an informal meeting of party leaders held under the “guidance” of senior leader Antony.
Congress had suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, winning just 52 seats.
Also read: Congress still doesn’t know what has hit it. Rahul will have to be the Gandhi India needs
Again it is happening…..Rahul always falls short of making decision whenever he is supposed to. And the Indian National Congress refuses to wake up. The elections should not be creating the existential crisis for any party, let alone the great old party.
Even if Rahul is not interested any more in heading the party he should be permitted to do that and the CWC should elect a new chief. After all Congress is not always headed by Gandhi family. There were many others who headed the party and many a times the party did too well too.
However, if at all Rahul is interested to work in and for the Congress, he should not be loosing time to revamp the organisation which is badly needed. He should remember that revamping the Congress is a requirement for the Indian democracy. Not long ago the Congress ruled the country …. Contrast it with BJP and for that matter Bhartijya Jansangh, which remained far out of power for years together and still stand on the ground and took the responsibility of a formidable opposition.
The Organisation has to remain relevant.
It appears Rahul has lots to say on the debacle but not speaking out. He has to be made to speak out his mind and given the space to take decisions. It is high time that everyone in the organisation is made to have his say and a common platform is created for exchange of views, which of late has taken the back sheet in the organisation.
The Grand old party has to just remember it’s glory and wake up to the expectations of the people and Rahul has to realise that the party needs serious strokes!
Happy Returns? Only the BJP is happy that he has returned and they are assured of the next win