Reluctant or poll phobia? Rahul's elevation to Congress' top post postponed again

In the wake of the upcoming assembly polls in five states, it will be interesting to see if Rahul Gandhi will be made the Congress president.

New Delhi, Jan 12: On Wednesday, we saw Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi speaking strongly against the Centre over the issue of demonetisation at the party's Jan Vedna Sammelan in Delhi.

However, party leaders remained silent on the question of elevation of Rahul to Congress' top post. When reporters asked senior Congress leaders like Renuka Chowdhury about when would Rahul become Congress' President, they simply avoided the question.

"He (Rahul) is our vice president and he is leading the party," Chowdhury told reporters.

A section of Congress wants Rahul to take over the post of the party's president. But, there are also reports that many veterans of the grand old party of the country are not 'confident' about the 46-year-old politician's 'leadership quality'.

Last year, the party's apex decision making body nominated Rahul to the top post, but subject to the official endorsement of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Political pundits say the entire nation is waiting for the official announcement to be made by the Congress about Rahul taking over the reins of the party.

Earlier, it was said that Rahul himself was reluctant to succeed his mother as the party president. Now, as we see him leading the Congress in all the issues, especially protests against Narendra Modi-led BJP government over the issue of note ban, it is difficult to understand the delay maintained by the party in announcing his elevation as the head of the organisation.

Or is it because, like in previous occasions--especially before elections--Congress never went ahead with appointing Rahul as its chief, as they fear voters won't accept him as the face of the party?

The country is gearing for assembly polls in five states. The elections for the five states--Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand --will begin on February 4. Counting of the votes will take place on March 11.

OneIndia News