Congress veteran Anand Sharma, who recently quit as the chairman of the steering committee for Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, said on Wednesday it is vital that the “Nehru-Gandhi family remains integral” as the grand old party requires inclusive and collective thinking.
The Congress is headed to choose its new president in the coming weeks. Speaking about Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who had stepped down as the president of the party in 2019 following the Lok Sabha debacle, Sharma said no one had asked him to resign and it was his own decision.
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“We elected Rahul Gandhi as Congress president in 2018, but it was he who resigned, we did not ask him to resign. It is important that the Nehru-Gandhi family remains integral. Congress does require inclusive and collective thinking and approach,” Sharma was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Sharma, whose move to quit a key party post on August 21, created buzz about an internal revolt, reiterated his dedication for the Congress party. “The Congress needs to come out of factionalism and stay united. We are all Congressmen,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Sharma, whose move to quit a key party post on August 21, created buzz about an internal revolt, reiterated his dedication for the Congress party. “The Congress needs to come out of factionalism and stay united. We are all Congressmen,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He added he will campaign for his party wherever required, stressing that the important objective should be for Congress to “stay strong”, adding there cannot be groups within the party.
“If we bring about some internal changes, renewal and revival of the Congress will be done. The Congress cannot revive by having A group or B group, Congress collectively has to revive,” Sharma told ANI.
His statements come hours after Congress general secretary KC Venugopal announced on Twitter that a virtual meeting of the party's working committee has been scheduled for August 28 to settle on the dates for election of its next president.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders reportedly have advised party's interim president Sonia Gandhi to continue as its supremo till 2024 if her son Rahul refuses to run for the post.
Sonia has hinted at the name of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot for the top job, saying if no one from the Gandhi family is made the Congress president then he should take charge, ANI reported.
Besides Gehlot, names such as Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, among others, have come up in party discussion.