New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh Thursday ruled out the possibility of him contesting the party’s presidential polls. The development came amid uncertainty and suspense over senior leader Rahul Gandhi’s candidature for the post.
“You’ll come to know the answer on 30 September. I’m not in the race. But the field is open. Mrs Gandhi (Sonia Gandhi) has made it very clear that she is not stopping anyone from contesting. So, let them contest,” Singh told ThePrint at his residence in Delhi.
He, however, said that the Gandhi scion has informed that he doesn’t want to contest the polls.
“Mr Ashok Gehlot has gone to the Bharat Jodo Yatra to convince him (Rahul). Let’s see if he gets convinced,” Singh said.
He also said that unlike what has been reported in the media, he was not in Delhi to meet Congress interim president Sonia but for a meeting of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Singh added that he will be flying to Jabalpur Friday and thereafter join the yatra in Kerala.
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Rahul Gandhi ‘clear’ about his decision
Meanwhile, speaking to the media during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala Thursday, Rahul, once again, refused to clearly state if he’ll be contesting the party elections.
“I have made my position clear in the last press conference. Have some patience. You’ll know what is happening,” he told mediapersons.
During his last media interaction 12 days ago, Rahul had said that he was “clear in his head” about his decision regarding the polls.
“Congress president’s election is due. When that happens, clarity will come on whether I will stand. If I do not stand, you can ask me why I did not stand. I will answer you…Whether I become Congress president or not will become clear when elections take place. Wait till that time,” Rahul had said on the second day of the yatra.
ThePrint had earlier reported that Rajasthan CM Gehlot and Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor are also likely contenders for the presidential polls. While Tharoor met Sonia Monday, Gehlot had a nearly two-hour-long meeting with her Wednesday.
While sources close to Tharoor said Sonia has assured him that she will be “neutral” during the election process, Gehlot Wednesday said he will contest if the party asks him to.
Rahul’s ‘one person, one post’ reminder to Gehlot
At the media interaction Thursday, Rahul was also asked about the possibility of Gehlot continuing as Rajasthan chief minister if the latter was to be elected as the Congress president.
“What we’ve decided in Udaipur (at ‘Nav Sankalp Shivir’) is a commitment of the Congress party. So, I expect that commitment will be maintained,” he answered.
In the Udaipur ‘Nav Sankalp Shivir’, a brain storming session of the Congress that held in May, the party had adopted a resolution in which one of the many decisions was that the it will follow a ‘one person one post’ principle.
If Gehlot is elected as the Congress president, he would have to vacate the CM’s chair. This could lead to a potential power struggle in the state. Gehlot’s political adversary in the party, Sachin Pilot, is learnt to have his eyes on the chair, while Gehlot, according to sources, is looking to have one of his supporters take over.
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