'Sonia-Rahul to mutually decide on the party's new chief'

Chandigarh, May 25: Elevation of Rahul Gandhi as party chief will be a mutual decision between him and Sonia Gandhi, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad said on Monday, adding that the party workers are keen to see the Nehru-Gandhi scion take over the reigns of the party.

"Congress leaders and party workers want Rahul Gandhi to become the party president one day. A decision regarding 'that day' will be taken mutually by (Cong president) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said at a press conference.

When asked to comment upon former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's reported reservation regarding Rahul's elevation as party chief, Ahmad said that the Amritsar MP has already clarified that he was never opposed to the idea.

Ahmad, who is in-charge of party affairs of Punjab and Haryana, however, sidestepped questions about infighting in the party's state units, with both Amarinder Singh and Pratap Singh Bajwa (in Punjab) and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Tanwar (in Haryana) being known detractors.

"I am not going to answer any questions on Haryana and Punjab. I have already said that I am addressing the press conference as party's spokesperson and not as party affairs in-charge," he said.

PTI