The Congress is ostensibly heading for election to the party president's post in which Rahul Gandhi does not want to participate. However, leader after leader used Sunday's big rally by the Congress against rising prices, to hail him as a leader of the party whose hands, they said, have to be strengthened. Gauging the mood, even prominent G-23 leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda joined the pro-Rahul slogans as he walked onto the stage at the Ramlila Maidan here. The former Haryana Chief Minister is under attack from a section of the party leaders for recently meeting Ghulam Nabi Azad, after the latter quit the Congress with a scathing attack on Rahul. As the latter walked in to deliver his speech at the Ramlila rally, Hooda immediately raised the ‘Rahul Gandhi zindabad’ slogan and exhorted the crowd to join him. Earlier, another G-23 leader, Mukul Wasnik, declared that “Sonia Gandhi is our leader, Rahul Gandhi is our leader”. His party colleague and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury began his speech by mentioning a poster held aloft by some workers which read, “We want Rahul Gandhi as INC president”. He did not elaborate. Rahul was present when he spoke. While Rahul has held out on resuming the Congress president's post since 2019, when he resigned following the party's second big electoral loss in the Lok Sabha, a section of the leaders remain hopeful of persuading him to change his mind. In his speech, Chowdhury repeatedly mentioned Rahul, saying: “Rahul believes the ‘mehangai ka ravan’ has to be dethroned. He is trying to unite the society. Modi is indulging in sabotage to break the society. That is the difference. Rahulji says the BJP government helps only two people. The BJP has become a party of hum do, hamare do. Under BJP rule, (Gautam) Adaani sahab has become the third richest in the world.” Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath asked Congress workers to “strengthen the hands of Rahul”. “He will walk 3,500 kilometres in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Together we will give strength to Rahul, and once again the voice of the Congress will echo in every village. I have no doubt that the Congress flag will once again flutter in our Parliament and Assemblies in various states.” Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said: “Those in power are not working to rein in price rise or tackle the issue of unemployment. They have only one aim - to stop Rahul Gandhi and fight against Rahul Gandhi.” Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said the Bharat Jodo Yatra will create tremors across the country. “To show solidarity with Rahul. we have to continuously hold programmes in districts and blocks," he said. Gehlot added that said Modi wants Congress-mukt Bharat and keeps talking about the Gandhi family and dynasty. “But has any member of this family become Prime Minister or Central minister in the last 30 years? If they are involved in the organisation. the entire country and Congress people across the country want it. Aap ke pait mein dard kyun ho raha hai (Why does this trouble you?) From this you can understand that the credibility of this family is the highest in the country. more than you. Winning elections and becoming Prime Minister is one thing, but the respect that Sonia Gandhi and the family commands, it is the highest in the country. Why do you have a problem with that?”
