Ashok Gehlot, the pioneer for the Speaker of the National Assembly, said today Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family should become party chief.
Prime Minister Rajasthan met Rahul Gandhi in Kerala where he joined his “Bharat Jodo Yatra” last night.
“I have repeatedly asked him to accept people’s wishes that he return as Speaker of the National Assembly. He told me that he had decided that no one in the Gandhi family should become the leader. next,” Mr Gehlot told reporters.
“Rahul ji told me ‘I know they want me to be the head and I respect their wishes, but I have decided, for a reason, that a non-Gandhi should be the president of the National Assembly’ , he added.
Mr. Gehlot is said to be the Gandhis’ top choice for the role as Congress prepares for its first non-Gandhi leader in more than 20 years.
The 71-year-old veteran of Parliament held out, apparently because of his reluctance to relinquish his role as Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
He suggested that he could handle both responsibilities, but Rahul Gandhi yesterday shot it down.
“We have fulfilled our commitment in Udaipur, I hope it will be maintained,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters yesterday about the “one person, one office” rule that was passed by the National Assembly in the begin of the year.
The Gandhis, which distanced themselves from the forefront amid great internal turmoil and questions about their leadership following successive electoral defeats, also refused to confirm any candidacy. which pill.
With the Gandhis sidelined this time, a growing number of congressional names are becoming candidates to succeed Sonia Gandhi, the party’s longest serving president.
Mr. Gehlot is likely to submit his nomination papers on Monday. Congressman Shashi Tharoor was the first to announce his intention to run for president and he soon sought Sonia Gandhi’s lead.
Former Union Minister Manish Tewari and former Madhya Pradesh Ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh are also likely to run for the unprecedented election before Parliament.
Aspirants can register their names until September 30. Elections will be held on October 17 and Parliament will have a new head two days later.
