Key leader leaves Bharat Jodo Yatra to meet Sonia as more state units rally behind Rahul

Emerging from the meeting, Venugopal said the leadership will remain neutral in the event of a contest, an assurance Sonia Gandhi had given Shashi Tharoor – who is likely to contest – at a closed door meeting Monday. “We have already declared that anybody can contest in this election. That is the party’s stand. That is also the stand of the leadership. Whoever contests… the leadership will take a neutral stand,” Venugopal said.

On Rahul Gandhi’s decision not to contest, Venugopal said: “Rahul Gandhi has not told us anything. Neither has he told us that he will contest.” He said the party leadership cannot stop PCCs (Pradesh Congress Committees) from passing resolutions seeking the return of Rahul as Congress president.

“It is for Rahul Gandhi to take a decision. If the people have confidence in Rahul Gandhi, why can’t Congress workers have confidence in him. They are demanding… all the states are demanding… We want Rahul Gandhi (as President)… it is their view. Shouldn’t the party leaders have that much freedom,” he said.

Three more states – Haryana, Kerala and Jharkhand – Tuesday passed resolutions taking the total number of states that have demanded Rahul as president so far to 10. Venugopal said his meeting with Sonia Gandhi was a “routine” one. “There was nothing extraordinary about it. She was abroad for some days. I was in Kerala… can’t an organisational general secretary meet the party president,” he asked.

Asked if the AICC president’s election was also discussed during his meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Venugopal said: “Polls have been announced, what is the need of a discussion. On September 22, notification will come and nomination will start on September 24.”

“Whoever wants to file a nomination, can file it. We have said it will be an open election, anybody can contest… definitely it will be a transparent election,” he added.

Asked about the possibility of Tharoor contesting, he said: “Not only Shashi Tharoor, anybody who wants to contest, can contest.”

Sources in the party have signalled that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot could file his nomination for the post of Congress president. And if Tharoor, too, throws his hat in the ring, there would be a contest.

Meanwhile, Gehlot has convened a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Jaipur. While party sources said the meeting was called in view of the Assembly session, which began Monday, it is to be seen what signals emanate from the CLP meeting given the fact that there are reports that Gehlot is not keen to leave the chief ministership or at least wants one of his loyalists to be appointed chief minister in the event of him becoming the Congress president.