M A I N   N E W S

Cong ends speculation, no top post for Rahul yet
Anita Katyal
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 12
Despite growing demand from the party cadres that Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi should assume greater responsibility in the organisation, top Congress sources said he will not be taking on the mantle of party presidentship and that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will remain in office till 2014.

“Sonia Gandhi is the Congress president and will continue in this post ... there is no question of any change,” a senior party leader told The Tribune, ending the ongoing speculation about an imminent leadership change in the party or in the government. This is also meant to put at rest any doubts that Sonia Gandhi has slowed down and wishes to step down.

The Congress source further stated Sonia Gandhi is not expected to relinquish the post of party president in a hurry. Her five-year term as Congress chief ends in 2015 after which elections will be conducted to elect the next president.

The possibility of Rahul Gandhi being appointed working president was also ruled out. “A working president is generally appointed when the party chief is not able to discharge his or her responsibilities but this does not apply in this case,” stated an authoritative Congress leader.

Similarly, any lingering doubts about a change of guard in the UPA government were put to rest last month when the Congress made it clear that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would continue in this office till 2014.

The Congress put out this clarification after UPA allies Trinamool Congress and the Samajawadi Party had named Manmohan Singh as one of their presidential candidates.

AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had declared, “We have said this umpteen times and I am repeating it again that Dr Manmohan Singh will continue to serve the country as Prime Minister till 2014 General Elections. He cannot be spared from the Prime Minister's job .”

Over the years, there has been a persistent demand from Congress leaders that Rahul Gandhi should no longer restrict himself to the charge of Youth Congress and instead take on a larger role in the party organisation. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi made this suggestion at last month’s CWC meeting while External Affairs Minister SM Krishna publicly spoke in favour of Rahul Gandhi’s induction into the government.

Encouraged by the proactive role played by Rahul Gandhi in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, party cadres had hoped he would follow it up by taking on greater responsibilities in the party. However, Rahul Gandhi withdrew into a shell after the party’s dismal performance in UP, which has dismayed the rank and file.

Law Minister Salman Khursheed’s recent remark that Rahul had failed to provide ideological direction to the Congress reflects the widespread mood in the party. Khursheed has since clarified that he was misinterpreted but demoralised Congress workers privately lament Rahul’s obvious reluctance to lead from the front. With only two years to go for the next Lok Sabha elections and the Congress organisation in shambles in several states, they are concerned that this lack of direction will cost them dearly.