New Delhi, December 16 – In a bid to revive party’s fortunes after its debacle in Assembly polls conducted in four out of five major states, Congress may declare party vice-president Rahul Gandhi its prime ministerial candidate on January 17.
According to reports, a formal announcement is likely to be made during the AICC meeting scheduled on January 17.
After the severe drubbing in four states, Congress has convened an AICC meeting in Delhi on January 17 to prepare the strategy ahead with Lok Sabha polls being just a few months away. The meet has been called at a time when Congress is facing an uphill task with the emergence of Narendra Modi and UPA appears to be shrinking.
The clamour for declaration of Rahul Gandhi as the party’s PM nominee has been gaining momentum within the party.
AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh said the party should ensure that Rahul is declared the PM candidate. Union power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also made the demand immediately after the Congress was routed in the four Assembly elections.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, speaking to reporters after the poll debacle, had said, “People need not worry. At the opportune time, the name of our PM candidate will be announced.” The Congress vice-president had too suggested that the party would undergo changes beyond imagination.
The announcement about the AICC meeting comes a day after DMK chief M Karunanidhi, who had parted ways with Congress-led UPA just a few months back, declared that it would not align with Congress in the Lok Sabha polls.
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, which was the second largest constituent of UPA, left the alliance last year on FDI in retail issue. Besides DMK, Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and AIMIM are the two other parties that have left the ruling alliance at the Centre.
–Indiatoday
