Delhi Cong urges Rahul to lead party

NEW DELHI: The newly elected members of the Delhi Congress unanimously adopted a resolution on Saturday urging Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party’s president. Gandhi is currently the Congress vice-president. There have been reports that he could soon take over the charge of the party.

Recently, Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said Gandhi may take over as Congress president after Diwali and the time was ripe for him to lead from the front.

In a meeting held at state unit headquarters on Saturday, 280 delegates of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) passed a resolution seeking Gandhi’s elevation to the party chief.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also attended the meeting as a delegate from the New Delhi Assembly constituency. The Congress is currently conducting organisational polls, including for the post of president.

The Election Commission has set a December deadline for the Congress to conclude the exercise. The All India Congress Committee, however, plans to complete the process by the end of this month.

The DPCC members also passed another resolution authorizing the AICC president and the vice-president to nominate the president of the Delhi unit.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said the election of former Prime Minister Singh as a PCC delegate was a matter of pride for the local unit. AICC general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, Delhi Congress in-charge P C Chacko, Delhi Pradesh returning officer (PRO) Ulhas Patil and APRO Manoj Chouhan also participated in the meeting with several senior leaders.

A total 280 delegates have been elected by block-level party workers across the 70 assembly segments in Delhi.