Rahul Gandhi should lead the Congress, says Ashok Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday, "Rahul Gandhi should be elected as the next Congress leader." Gehlot's remarks come ahead of a closely watched gathering of the party's top decision-makers where the massive electoral loss will be discussed.

Ahead of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi, he told the news agency ANI.

"Rahul Gandhi should become the party president. For the last three decades, nobody from the Gandhi family became a PM or a minister. It is significant to understand that the Gandhi family is important for Congress' unity,"

"Politics of polarisation is easier. BJP propagated Congress as a Muslim party on social media. Our way is to maintain the integrity and unity of the country. During polls, religion comes to the forefront while issues of inflation and jobs take a back seat for BJP," he added

"In 2017, Congress was united and we won. After Channi became the Chief Minister the environment was conducive too but it was our mistake that due to internal conflict we lost assembly elections in Punjab," Mr Gehlot mentioned.

There is fierce criticism of the Gandhi family and calls for, among other things, a total overhaul following the massive defeat in the five states

Leadership change can no longer be seen as just a demand of the "G-23" or 23 "dissenters" that had written to Sonia Gandhi two years ago.

Congress organisational elections, scheduled for August-September, may move up by two to three months after today's CWC meeting, according to sources.

A resolution of the Jharkhand Congress supporting Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was passed in advance of the meeting. The Congress denies that the Gandhis will resign.

The CWC, where Gandhi "loyalists" outnumber "dissenters," appears to avoid making hard decisions, according to a number of internal sources.