REQUESTED RAHUL TO BECOME PRESIDENT, HE DENIED; NOW I WILL FILE NOMINATION: GEHLOT

Kochi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday confirmed his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election and said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that “no member of the Gandhi family” would become the next party chief. Speaking to the media, Gehlot, who was in Kerala to take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “I said earlier that I will request him (Rahul Gandhi) to accept this post when all the Congress Committees are passing resolutions in this regard. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family will become the next chief. He said he has decided this due to some reasons, a non-Gandhi family member will become the party chief”. When asked if it is because of the BJP’s allegations of nepotism, he said, “Rahul Gandhi said it in 2019 that he would work more without any post. He had said this in the working committee. He said that he still stands on his statement that he would work for the party without a post, as the party says.” Congress’ presidential post election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19.

 “It’s decided that I’ll contest (for the post of Congress president). I’ll fix the date soon (to file nomination). It’s a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country,” he said while adding that Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken and party interim President Sonia Gandhi will decide the further p r o c e e d i n g s (which inclue the CM face for Rajasthan) “if he becomes the party president”. Earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi emphasised the “one person, one post” norm and said he believes the commitment to the party’s Udaipur declaration would be maintained in the election for the party’s topmost post. Describing the post of Congress president as an “ideological post,” Rahul Gandhi said the position “represents a set of ideas and belief system and vision of India.”