"Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign is suicidal," warns Lalu Prasad backing the Congress president and telling regional powers their biggest blunder in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

After the embarrassing defeat of the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD in the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar where the party was unable to win even one seat as well as the Opposition overall, party chief Lalu Prasad has commented on the step taken by Rahul Gandhi to offer to resign as Congress president. The Mahagathbandhan in Bihar faced a devastating defeat after the Modi-Nitish duo led the NDA to win 39 out of the 40 seats. The Mahagtahbandhan comprised Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, RJD and other regional parties of the state. 

In post-poll drama, as the All India Congress Committee met on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi had offered his resignation from the post of party president owing to the defeat of the party at the national level wherein it only secured 52 seats pan-India and Rahul Gandhi himself lost in Amethi. The offer to resign was rejected by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) which instead gave him full authority to overhaul the party. Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's resignation offer, RJD supremo Lalu Yadav has called it a 'suicidal' move and reiterated that the Opposition had a common goal to dislodge BJP. He also added that 'one election result cannot alter reality'.

Taking to Twitter, the jailed politician wrote:

"Rahul’s offer to resign suicidal. Opposition parties had the common goal to dislodge BJP but failed to build a national narrative. The result in a particular election can never alter the reality in as diverse and plural a country as India. Read more."

READ: 2019 Lok Sabha Election Results: Modi-Nitish Smash Bihar 'gathbandhan', Bag Almost All The State's Seats

In his analysis which is contained in a linked article, Lalu Prasad Yadav's biggest point is that Rahul Gandhi simply must not resign as Congress chief. He opines that if Rahul Gandhi does resign and someone outside of the Nehru-Gandhi family is appointed in his stead, the BJP would paint them as a 'puppet'. 

Further, continuing his staunch defence of Rahul Gandhi, the RJD chief lays into regional leaders for not projecting him as a Prime Ministerial face. Lalu puts forth that while each of the regional parties were within their rights to bargain over seat-shares and coalitions, it was a mistake to not project someone with a pan-India perspective and presence as a 'dulha of their baraat'.

As an example, he cites the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections where he threw his weight behind Nitish Kumar for the Chief Minister's post and the coalition went on to deal a big defeat to the BJP.

READ: Tej Pratap Counter-attacks, Defends His Brother After RJD MLA Demands Tejashwi Yadav's Resignation Over Party's Whitewash In Bihar

Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav who is leading the party in the absence of Lalu has called for a meeting for the entire party at Rabri Devi's residence on May 28 and May 29 to asses the ground situation that led to the party's debacle in the polls.