Crisis in Congress deepens : Party to decide on my successor, says Rahul

New Delhi : As speculation continues on his next steps following his resignation as party chief, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said his party will decide on who his successor will be and not him.

He said he is not the person to take a decision on his successor, even as he denied reports that he had given his nod to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to lead the party in his place. "I am not the one who will appoint the party president," Gandhi told reporters when asked on who would be his successor after he resigned.

On reports claiming that Gehlot will be his successor and he has given his approval for the same, he said, "No such thing."

Gandhi is adamant on stepping down as party president following the party's debacle in the elections, but the CWC, the highest decision making body of the Congress, has rejected his offer to resign and asked him to restructure the party at all levels.

Responding to a question about Rafale finding a mention in President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament, he said, "I maintain my stand that there has been theft in the Rafale jet deal."

Gandhi has been maintaining that there has been corruption in the Rafale deal and that there should be a thorough probe into the deal. The Congress has already petitioned the CVC for a probe into alleged corruption in the fighter jet deal. The government has denied any corruption, wrongdoing or favouritism in the deal.

Meanwhile, several BJP leaders and ministers criticised Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for looking at his mobile phone during President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday.