Congress leaders react to Rahul Gandhi’s resignation

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, July 3 publicly announced his resignation as the Congress party president, taking responsibility for the Lok Sabha election debacle, and called for "hard decisions" to rebuild the party and making people accountable for the "failure" of 2019.

In a four-page open letter, Rahul Gandhi also urged the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to entrust a group of people with the task of finding a new president as it would not be proper for him to do so.

Rahul said in the letter that he owed the country and his party a debt of tremendous gratitude and love, but maintained that at times he stood "completely alone" in his fight against the Prime Minister and the RSS.

In his Twitter account, Rahul Gandhi's designation as "President" of Congress was also changed to "Member of Congress and Member of Parliament".

This is how political analysts and various politicians reacted to Rahul Gandhi’s resignation:

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel: “He (Rahul Gandhi) is and will remain my leader, our leader and will continue to provide solid strength for the Congress.”

“Rahul ji’s resignation letter is unfortunate. We all are accountable for this defeat. He has, in a short span, already made tremendous contribution in strengthening the party and we all believe his endeavour should continue,” he said.

Former PM HD Deve Gowda said “Rahul Gandhi toured entire country, and struggled to strengthen the organisation. He has done his best. He has taken the moral responsibility. I requested, but he has taken moral stand for defeat, but he's not going to retire, he's going to work for the party.”

Congress leader Jitin Prasada: “Whatever he (Rahul Gandhi) has written in the letter, and party's shortcomings, everything must be deliberated upon, keeping the future in mind. And we appeal to him that he should rethink his decision.”

"It is a great loss if Rahul Gandhi decides to step down. Without the Gandhi family, Congress will break. I am of the firm opinion that Gandhi family unites Congress. And Congress unites India,” said Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar

Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot said, "We request him to take back his resignation because we know his struggle."

Senior party leader Salman Khurshid said, "It is very sad to see him quit as he put in enormous effort and at one point, we felt he caught the pulse and we saw a return of the Congress. Even though he has quit as the Congress president, he continues to be our leader. Reluctantly we have to accept it. If he has announced it, his advice sadly has to be followed. We will put our heads together and do our best."

Former Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken: "We are proud to have @RahulGandhi ji as our leader! Congress President or not, he would always be the voice of millions of Congress workers and those who believe in its ideology! Rahul ji has taken a right decision-and we support him."