Ramesh says Rahul is ‘ de facto’ Cong chief
While a debate has begun in the Congress about the timing of Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the top post in the organisation and his proposed team, senior leader Jairam Ramesh said “Rahul Gandhi is de facto Congress chief, but he should become de jure” and make the party battleready without waiting for anti- incumbency to build up against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Senior leaders of the “grand old party” have virtually launched a campaign for Rahul’s coronation. After Punjab PCC chief Capt. Amrinder Singh, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh spoke on the same line by subtly delinking the young Gandhi’s promotion and the Congress’ electoral defeats. But the party leaders are maintaining silence on the role of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the party after Rahul’s elevation.
Mr Ramesh also said it was high time that the Congress changed in tune with changing India as “our communication strategy is not very effective” and “we need an aggressive outreach” with various sections of society against the backdrop of successive poll debacles.
“Challenges are very heavy, but there is no room for despondency. Those who are writing off the Congress are writing its premature obituary,” the former Union minister told PTI, apparently referring to Mr Modi’s repeated calls for a “Congress- mukt Bharat”.
Making a strong pitch for Mr Gandhi’s leadership, he said “uncertainty does not help”. He said the challenges faced by the Congress were akin to those that prevailed when Ms Gandhi had taken over the party in March 1998.
Mr Ramesh insisted that the Congress vice- president has “a lot of ideas on organisational restructuring and I hope he gets into position very soon. He is de facto, but he should become de jure”.
“He has got a clear concept of strategy. He knows people he wants to bring. One thing should be clear that when Rahul Gandhi takes over, a team takes over. When? that is the big question,” Mr Ramesh said.