A resolution seeking the unanimous selection of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the president of the party was passed by the general council of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) here on Monday.
The resolution, read out by TNCC president K.S. Alagiri, evoked an emotive response from the members of the general council, who appeared to fully endorse the idea of Mr. Gandhi’s elevation as the party’s president by shouting slogans.
Mr. Alagiri said the perception of a leadership crisis in the Congress was the handiwork of the BJP. “I will state this openly: you can ask any Congress worker in any State, from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari, whether they want Rahul Gandhi or someone else as party president. They will say they want Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
“The party accepts him. He has a clear idea and a long-term vision. It does not matter whether Rahul Gandhi is officially holding the post of the president. He is the president of the Indian National Congress,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri said the BJP was raking up meaningless issues as the party had no ideals. “They are trying to divide the country based on religion, caste, ethnicity and language. They are saying the Congress is against religion and asking why Rahul Gandhi is meeting a Christian priest. What does it show? It shows that they do not have any ideals, and that is why they want to attack and create hate against individuals. Congress has a great responsibility – to protect the unity of the nation,” he said.
He refuted the assertion that the Congress was the party that supported the minorities while the BJP supported the majority, by saying the Congress stood 100% with all Indians. He urged party workers to unite those with similar ideas.
Gaurav Gogoi, Pradesh Returning Officer, Tamil Nadu, appreciated the TNCC for ramping up the digital membership drive in Tamil Nadu after the municipal election results earlier this year. As many as 652 members of the general council from across the State participated in the meeting, which was attended by former TNCC presidents K.V. Thangkabalu, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, S. Thirunavukkarasar, Kumari Ananthan and M. Krishnasamy.
Others, including Congress deputy Lok Sabha leader Gaurav Gogoi, Congress Data Cell Chairman Praveen Chakravarthy, MPs Vijay Vasanth and Vishnu Prasad were present. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to be in Gudalur in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu on September 29.
The event was not without controversy. Congress Data Analytics chairman Praveen Chakravarty registered his “formal dissent” by stating that the resolution must have requested Mr. Gandhi to file his nomination for the election of the AICC president, as announced by the Central Election Authority, and not simply “request Mr. Gandhi to become AICC president” as such a resolution disrespects the CEA.
