Rahul Gandhi only leader who can take over as Congress president: Ripun Bora

Rahul Gandhi is only leer who can take on mantle of Congress presidentship as he alone can fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party's Assam unit chief Ripun Bora has said, amid a growing chorus within Congress seeking Gandhi's return to helm.

Bora said that he has been appealing and demanding that Gandhi take up party presidency, and asserted he will continue to do so till such time Wayan MP becomes Congress chief again.

"I am first MP who from very beginning has been raising his voice that Rahul Gandhi should take up leership of Congress party," chief of Assam Presh Congress Committee told PTI in an interview here.

"In several meetings and also during a Zoom conference of party chief Sonia Gandhi, I have raised this several times that only he can be Congress president," Bora said.

Rahul Gandhi is only leer who can take on mantle of presidentship, he asserted. His remarks assume significance as y come amid an ongoing election process to elect a new chief and a growing chorus within Congress seeking Gandhi's return to helm.

Three state units of party -- Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Telangana -- have passed resolutions seeking Gandhi's return as Congress president.

Also, Gandhi has been aggressively campaigning for party in poll-bound states such as Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nu.

Asked if Assam Congress will also pass a similar resolution as its counterparts from Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, Bora said state unit is right w busy preparing for assembly elections but asserted that in past it has put it on record that it wants Gandhi back at helm of affairs.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) is strongly against BJP and only he can fight Modi, so only he can take up party presidency," Rajya Sabha MP said.

Earlier this month, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel h also aired similar views, saying Rahul Gandhi is only leer who can take on mantle of Congress presidentship as he is one who has been taking a strong stand on important issues without bowing to government's pressure. Congress last month anunced that party will have an elected president by June 2021 "at any cost".

After a three-and-a-half-hour meeting, which was stormy at times, Congress Working Committee (CWC), party's highest policy making body, h authorised incumbent chief Sonia Gandhi to schedule internal elections after conclusion of assembly polls in five states, including Assam, due to be held in next few months.

Congress leers K C Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala h said that CWC elections will also be held but it remains to be seen wher y can be scheduled before or after election to post of Congress president.

Sonia Gandhi took over as interim Congress president after Rahul Gandhi resigned in wake of party's Lok Sabha debacle in May 2019.