Pune: Congress workers in Pune city have opposed the demand of 23 leaders for collective leadership or a person outside the Gandhi family to be the Congress president. These activists have said that Rahul Gandhi should lead the party and if he is not ready, then Sonia Gandhi should continue as the party president.
23 senior leaders of the country wrote a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi requesting her to elect a person who could give collective leadership or full-time leadership to the party. This has caused a stir among Congress workers in the country. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress has passed a resolution demanding that Sonia Gandhi should remain in office or else Rahul Gandhi should lead the party.
Against this backdrop, Ulhas Pawar, a senior Congress leader in Pune, said that no one has done as much as the Gandhi family has sacrificed for the country. Party workers have faith in the Gandhi family therefore only Sonia or Rahul Gandhi should lead the party. The issue of dynasty is raised by some, but there are examples in all parties like Prakash Singh Badal, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Pramod Mahajan, Gopinath Munde, Eknath Khadse. The names of the Gandhi family are used only to discredit the Congress. He also hoped that the party leadership would get rid of the bitterness in the current challenging period.
City unit President of Congress Ramesh Bagwe has clarified that the role of the city Congress is not different from the resolution made by the state Congress. Strong steps should be taken to strengthen the party, he said, adding that workers were keeping an eye on the developments.
Mohan Joshi, a member of the All India Congress Working Committee and General Secretary of the Pradesh Congress, also said that the party workers wanted Rahul Gandhi to lead the party. He also said that Rahul Gandhi's leadership is needed in the country.
Congress activist Virendra Kirad said, “Given Rahul Gandhi's age, he could strike a balance between old leaders and young activists. The youth is a big fan of him. Rahul is honest. Although the party has lost twice under his leadership, it will not happen a third time. Because people are fed up with Modi's government now.”
Sonali Marane, the city President of the Women wing of Congress, has also said that Rahul Gandhi should be the next President of the party. “If Rahul Gandhi becomes the party president, the youth will get a lot of opportunities and a new era will start,” she added. She also pointed out that only Rahul Gandhi is aggressively fighting against the policies of the central government.
