The Congress on Thursday dismissed any projection of a rift between party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi and that both of them were running the party in "cohesive manner". The party termed as "personal opinion" the remarks by senior party leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh indicating confusion and a generation gap in the party leadership.
"Various leaders are expressing their personal opinion. As far as us Congress men and the rank and file is concerned, we are extremely happy about the cohesive manner in which Congress president (Sonia) and vice-president (Rahul) are running the party," party spokesperson Rajiv Gowda said at AICC briefing.
Gowda, however, at the same time did not rule out the possibility that Rahul could take over as the party chief sometime this year. "Parkalam" (let us wait and see), Gowda said as he cited the late Congress president K Kamraj's famous Tamil remark when asked whether there will be a generational change upon Rahul's possible elevation as the party chief at the AICC session which is likely to be held in the first week of April.
Amidst speculation that Rahul may be anointed as the party president in the April AICC session, Sonia when asked by the media in the Parliament premises said "you will come to know when it happens". There is intense speculation that Rahul may be elevated at the AICC session likely in the first week of April.
Maintaining that there cannot be two decision-making bodies within one party, nine-time lok Sabha member Kamal Nath in a TV interview on Wednesday had said that Rahul must be given full responsibility of the party.
"Mrs Sonia Gandhi thinks Rahul Gandhi is doing something and Rahul thinks that Mrs Sonia Gandhi is doing something. We must have a situation where Rahul is in command," Nath had said.
Dismissing speculation that Rahul could "run away" from politics, Digvijay maintained that he is made of "sterner staff" and will return to play a "larger role". He had also said "there is no question of differences" between the mother-son duo and that "there is a strong bonding between them as family members". But pressed further as to whether there were differences politically, he had said, "both of them are from different generations. Obviously, every generation has a mindset".