Congress downplays Priyanka Vadra's 'non-Gandhi party chief' remark; paves way for Rahul

Even as internal chaos in the Congress vis-a-vis Gandhi leadership at the helm of affairs, keeps spilling out in open from time to time, on Thursday, the party chose to downplay Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks regarding a non-Gandhi president for the party. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had in July 2019 said that a non-Gandhi can also be the chief of the grand-old party. However, a year later, as murmurs of Rahul Gandhi at the position of party chief returns, Congress said that Vadra's remarks were made in a different context. Moreover, it added that workers throughout the country want the Wayanad MP to return as party chief.

Though the book was released recently by Oxford University Press, the Congress said Priyanka Gandhi's interview was conducted after Rahul Gandhi stepped down as party president taking responsibility for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll drubbing.

READ | Rahul pays tributes to his father Rajiv Gandhi on birth anniversary

READ | Stormy Congress fight breaks out in virtual meeting; Manmohan Singh lambasted

Congress loyalists instrospect

As the Congress loyalists continue to self-introspect the lapses in the grand-old party, more voices suggesting organisational amends in the party's functioning are coming to the fore. Days after a dramatic fight in its virtual meeting, party MP Manish Tewari had on August 8 said that problem of India is the absence of viable Opposition and has suggested a series of changes required to revive the party. 

Penning an article for a magazine, Manish Tewari - Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, has batted for organisational change in the party. Tewari - considered a loyalist of the Gandhi family and Rahul Gandhi - said that uncertainty at the top must end. While he lashed out at younger people of the party, both naming and shaming them for not aligning to the ideological core of Congress, he proclaimed that the grand-old party needs to 'revisit its position on secularism' and 'must define its vision of nationalism'. He added that Congress has never been able to align its own economic philosophy with the economic shift in the past. 

Though Tewari said that interim president Sonia Gandhi has successfully led the party to electoral victories, he also stated that if placing a Nehru-Gandhi at the helm of affairs is a 'non-sequitur', then, Congress must hold an election to the post of president and to the working committee.

(PTI inputs)

READ | Congress MP Satav slams partymates accusing him of attacking Manmohan Singh; 'clears air'

READ | 'Revisit secularism': Cong loyalist Tewari introspects into party pitfalls after CWC meet