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On ‘one-man, one-post’ stand, Rahul Gandhi's indirect message to Ashok Gehlot
Rahul Gandhi said he would advise whosoever becomes the president of the party that they should remember that the post represents a set of ideas, a belief system and a vision of India.
Amid speculation that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot could contest the Congress's presidential election, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made it clear that the decisions, including that of “one-man, one-post”, taken at the party's Chintan Shivir in Udaipur this year are expected to be followed.
At a press conference in Kochi between the first and second leg of the day's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi said the Congress president was not just an organisational position, it is an ideological post and a belief system. "What we decided at Udaipur, we expect that commitment to be maintained," Gandhi said on being asked whether he would stand by the Udaipur Chintan Shivir decision on one-man, one-post.
The former Congress chief said he would advise whosoever becomes the president of the party that they should remember that the post represents a set of ideas, a belief system and a vision of India. Another piece of advice he had for the contestants in the party's presidential polls was that "you are taking a historic position. A position that defines and has defined a particular view of India."
In an indication of his willingness to contest the presidential election, Gehlot said he is ready to discharge any responsibility given to him by the party. His remarks came ahead of his meeting with Sonia Gandhi. There has been a buzz in party circles about the possible successor to Gehlot in Rajasthan if he contests and wins the party's presidential election.
Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have told Gehlot that the election for party chief will be "free and fair" and she will not endorse any name. Reports claimed that she also conveyed that the issue of "one person, one post" will come if a candidate is decided and gets elected.
The process of filing nominations for the post of party president will begin on September 24 and will continue till September 30. The election is scheduled for October 17 and the counting of votes will take place on October 19.
