Congress president Polls : To Contest Or Not Is Rahul Gandhi’s Decision Says Sachin Pilot ; No Permission Needed From Gandhi’s To Contest Insists Jairam Ramesh

Picture : Twitter/ ANI

The Congress party has said no one requires the permission of its president Sonia Gandhi or its leader Rahul Gandhi to contest in its presidential polls which is likely to be held next month if there is no consensus on who should be at the helm of the grand old party.

AICC general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, speaking to the media during the break between the first and second leg of the days’ Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Anybody is free and welcome to contest in the election if they have the backing of 10 PCC delegates.”

“No one requires the permission of Congress president or Rahul Gandhi to file nomination. The elections will be fair and transparent. No other political party in the country holds elections to select their party chief.”

Ramesh, at the same time, also said that he believes in selection of the party president based on consensus as per the Kamraj model.

He invoked the “view” of legendary Congress leader K Kamaraj, which according to him, was “talk to everybody and find a suitable consensus choice” for leading the party.

“If consensus is not possible, then elections are desirable. We are not running away from holding elections,” he said. On who would be throwing their hats in the ring, Ramesh said he does not know who all will contest, but he certainly will not. He also said that he does not know whether Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will file his nomination and if he does, what will happen in that state.

“The Congress party has a system in place to deal with such situations,” he added. Regarding the plans of Gandhi, also the MP from Wayanad, Ramesh said that September 23 was a rest day for the yatra and therefore, if the former goes to Delhi it will be to meet his mother who is ill and underwent some tests recently.

Majority of the states have said that Rahul Gandhi should be the Congress President. Whether he will contest or not is his decision, but one thing is for sure, the party will get a new President on Oct 17th, when voting takes place said Sachin Pilot , former Rajasthan PCC Chief and Deputy Chief Minister to ANI