New Delhi: The CWC decision not to anoint Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate did not deter party workers from voicing their clamour but Sonia Gandhi put an end to any debate asserting that the decision taken last night was “final”.
As soon as the AICC meeting began at the packed Talkatora Stadium here, loud demands were made that the Congress Vice President be declared the PM candidate ahead of the general elections.
The Congress President immediately made it clear that the last night’s decision not to nominate him as PM candidate is final, in an apparent bid to avoid any further debate on the issue.
But as the leaders shouted that Rahul be made the PM candidate other party leaders intervened to drop enough indications that despite the absence of a formal decision, it is the Congress Vice President, who will become Prime Minister if the party comes to power. The slogan shouting continued even as Sonia Gandhi rose to speak, prompting her to declare “a decision has been taken in the CWC and that decision is final.”
However, the workers continued with their Rahul as PM candidate pitch. AICC general secretary, Organisation, Janardan Dwivedi tried to persuade the party workers to keep “patience” telling them in unequivocal terms that it is Rahul Gandhi who will be the leader in future.
“Whenever the question that you are referring to will arise, is there any other name than that of Rahul Gandhi.Is there any alternative to Rahul Gandhi.Is there any other leader in Congress for that. If it is not so, then why do you not understand it properly,” he said.
As the workers remained adamant on declaring Rahul as PM candidate, Dwivedi said that things will be clear to them when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi will speak after the political resolution is moved. “May be something is in the political resolution that comes up,” he said seeking to pacify them.
As the slogan shouting continued, Rahul himself intervened telling the party workers that he will explain the issue to them in his speech. “Allow the session to go on. I will tell you everything what I am thinking and what is in my heart,” he said.
In his speech, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the Congress Vice President will bring new energy and enthusiasm in the party with his working. “He is laying emphasis on the basic principles and values of Congress and with this we will definitely scale new heights of success.I have no doubt in it that we will get full success in the campaign for 2014 general elections.”
Earlier RS member and former CLP leader of Uttar Pradesh Pramod Tiwari told the Congress President “give us Rahul, we will give you India. “The next election is between the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse. We have leadership and Congress should declare it,” Tiwari said. (PTI)
