Sonia Gandhi named interim president after Rahul firm on quitting

After day-long deliberations, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision making body, on Saturday accepted Rahul Gandhi's resignation as the party president, but failed to elect a party leader from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The CWC then urged Sonia Gandhi to take on the party's command as interim president till the time a full-time president is elected.

Sonia Gandhi, who had stepped down as party President in December 2017, is again to head the grand old party. Her name was announced after CWC concluded its deliberations after more than two hours, in its second meeting of the day.

With all the five party sub-groups unitedly proposing Rahul Gandhi's name as party chief, and Rahul refusing to go back on his decision, the mantle fell on Sonia Gandhi again to shepherd the party as an interim measure.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress communications in-charge and CWC member, said the party decided on Sonia Gandhi's name as it wanted a strong leadership, one whose command would be accepted by all.

Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, said the CWC "unanimously resolved to request Sonia Gandhi to take over as the Interim President, pending the election of a regular president by the AICC".

Earlier, the CWC decided that Rahul Gandhi "should continue as Congress President, as desired by all who were consulted today, and requested him to accept this decision". However, Rahul "declined to withdraw his resignation".

The CWC also put on record "its profound sense of appreciation and gratitude for the exceptional leadership provided by Rahul Gandhi as president".

"He led the party with unbounded pride, determination and dedication. He campaigned in the assembly and national elections with indefatigable energy. He stood up fearlessly on issues of day-to-day concern to kisans, khet mazdoors, workers, traders and small businesses, youth, women, minorities, Dalits and adivasis and the weaker sections of society".

"He raised his voice boldly against the growing atmosphere of fear and intimidation in our country. These issues continue to be of significant relevance irrespective of the electoral verdict of May 2019," it said, in an attack on the Narendra Modi government.

It said that Rahul's gave the Congress "a new sense of aggression and modernity to the party organization and opened up numerous opportunities to the younger generation".

"He emerged as a beacon of hope for the very large number of people who cherish the idea of India on which our freedom movement and the Constitution was anchored. He came to be seen as a bulwark against the forces of hate, prejudice, bigotry, intolerance and divisiveness."

On his resignation, owning up responsibility for the party's poor showing in the elections, it said that it was evidence of Rahul's "instinctive moral compass" setting new standards of accountability in public life".

"The CWC applauds his courage, commitment and conviction in stepping down as Congress President which was a deeply personal decision. Each and every Congressman and woman looks to him for continued support and guidance," the CWC said.