Ambiguity over Rahul as Congress prez continues

There seems to be no end to the ambiguity over Rahul Gandhi continuing as the Congress President, notwithstanding party spokespersons' claims to the contrary. A communication from the AICC on the appointments to the Congress Legislature Party in Maharashtra on Friday appears to strengthen the clouds of uncertainty.

"The AICC has approved your proposal regarding the appointment of MLAs and MLCs to the following positions in the lower house and upper house of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Maharashtra Legislative Council," read a letter from AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal to another AICC General Secretary Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in charge of Maharashtra affairs. Normally, such communications invoke the office of the Congress President for the approval of such appointments. But today's communication said, "the AICC has approved..."

Ever since Gandhi offered to resign from the post of Congress president in the wake of the electoral debacle, which was, however, rejected by the Congress Working Committee, the party has tied itself in knots on the issue. The spokespersons have been maintaining that Gandhi continues to be the party and there was no question of any non-Gandhi-Nehru occupying the post.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday told reporters that "Gandhi was, is and will be the Congress President." He was talking to reporters after a meeting of the party's group which discussed the Assembly elections later this year. Another spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi also echoed similar views yesterday when he was asked about the issue.

Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi was elected as Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party. All eyes are on what she would do with the appointments regarding the floor leaders in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. One issue of interest will be whether Rahul Gandhi is made the Leder of the Party in Lok Sabha.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)