Accountability critical for future growth of Cong, says Gandhi scion
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday made his resignation public through an emotional four-page letter that he put out on tweeter in which he took moral responsibility for the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha polls asserting that accountability is critical for the future growth of the party.
“As president of the Congress party, I am responsible for the loss of the 2019 election. Accountability is critical for the future growth of our party. It is for this reason that I have resigned as Congress president. Rebuilding the party requires hard decisions and numerous people will have to be made accountable for the failure of 2019. It would be unjust to hold others accountable but ignore my own responsibility as president of the party,” he said in the letter shared on his Twitter account.
Signing off his letter, he said, “Thank you to the thousands of Indians, both at home and abroad, who have sent me letters and messages of support. I will, of course, continue to fight for the ideals of the Congress party with all my strength. I am available to the party whenever they require my services, input or advice. To those who support the Congress ideology, especially our dedicated and beloved karyakarta, I have absolute faith in our future and the utmost love for you.”
While Rahul will officially continue to be the president of the party till his resignation is accepted by Congress Working Committee (CWC), there was speculation that veteran Moti Lal Vohra may be given interim charge till the process of electing a new party president is completed. Vora, 90, is currently Congress general secretary in-charge of administration.
According to the Congress constitution, the party’s seniormost general secretary will take over as its interim chief in case of a resignation by the incumbent.
In his letter, Rahul said it had been an honour to serve the party whose values and ideals have served as the lifeblood of this beautiful nation.
“It is an honour for me to serve the Congress party, whose values and ideals have served as the lifeblood of our beautiful nation. I owe the country and my organisation a debt of tremendous gratitude and love. As president of the Congress, I am responsible for the loss of the 2019 election. Accountability is critical for the future growth of our party. It is for this reason that I have resigned as Congress president,” Rahul stated.
Rahul said the Congress didn’t fight a political party in the 2019 election, rather it fought the entire machinery of the Indian state, every institution of which was marshalled against the Opposition.
Leading the grand old party in two general elections, Rahul noted that he personally fought Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and the institutions they have captured. He further said this capture of power will result in “unimaginable levels of violence and pain for India,” while alleging that the PM’s win does not negate the “breadth of corruption allegations against him”.
Asserting that it was now crystal clear that India’s once cherished institutional neutrality no longer existed, he said, “The stated objectives of the RSS, the capture of our country’s institutional structure, is now complete. Our democracy has been fundamentally weakened. There is a real danger that from now on, elections will go from being a determinant of India’s future to a mere ritual.
“This capture of power will result in unimaginable levels of violence and pain for India. Farmers, unemployed youngsters, women, tribals, Dalits and minorities are going to suffer the most. The impact on our economy and nation’s reputation will be devastating. The Prime Minister’s win does not negate the breadth of corruption allegations against him; no amount of money and propaganda can ever hide the light of the truth.”
Rahul urged the CWC to entrust a group of people with the task of finding a new president as it would not be proper for him to do so.
“Many of my colleagues suggested that I nominate the next Congress president. While it is important for someone new to lead our party, it would not be correct for me to select that person. Ours is a party with a profound history and heritage, one of struggle and dignity that I deeply respect. It is woven into the fabric of India and I trust the party will make the best decision regarding who can lead us with courage, love and fidelity.
Immediately after resigning, I suggested to my colleagues in the Congress Working Committee that the way forward would be to entrust a group of people with the task of beginning the search for a new president. I have empowered them to do so and committed my full support to this process and a smooth transition,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul told reporters in the Parliament premises that the CWC should immediately meet to decide on his successor.
Rahul has been adamant on his decision to quit as party president since May 25, two days after the results in which his party won 52 seats -- also stressed on the need for the Congress to “radically transform itself”.
Congress leaders said even though Rahul Gandhi had resigned as the party president, he continued to be their leader and would always be the “voice of the party’s workers”. “We request him to take back his resignation because we know his struggle,” Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot said.
“It is very sad to see him quit as he put in enormous effort and at one point, we felt he caught the pulse and we saw a return of the Congress. Even though he has quit as the Congress president, he continues to be our leader. Reluctantly we have to accept it. If he has announced it, his advice sadly has to be followed. We will put our heads together and do our best,” former Union Minister and senior party leader Salman Khurshid said.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi termed Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of his resignation as Congress president on Twitter as a “brand new drama of the grand old party” while several of his BJP colleagues chose the occasion to highlight the difference between the two parties.
Asked for her reaction, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the Lok Sabha polls, merely said, “Jai Shri Ram”. BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli described the Congress as a family-run party unlike the BJP which is, he said, runs democratically.
“The Congress is run by the Nehru-Gandhi family. Their party president is almost always from this first family or is someone who is their selected nominee and loyalist. It’s up to them to decide who will be president or resign from this post,” he said. Another Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar when asked to comment on the resignation, quipped, “We can thank the other party.”