No Gandhi in race for Congress chief poll
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at the Sai Baba temple, in Shirdi on Friday
Kochi/ Shirdi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday confirmed his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election and said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that 'no member of the Gandhi family' would become the next party chief.
Speaking to the media, Gehlot, who is in Kerala to take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, "I said earlier that I will request him (Rahul Gandhi) to accept this post when all the Congress Committees are passing resolutions in this regard. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family will become the next chief. He said he has decided this due to some reasons, a non-Gandhi family member will become the party chief."
Gehlot said the debate on 'one-man, one-post' in the party was unnecessary and expressed commitment to serve the people of his home state all his life. "But I have said this for sure, I say this even today and will maintain this even after I fill the (nomination) form (for Congress president polls), I belong to Rajasthan and I would like to serve the state all my life. What is wrong in saying this? People take a different meaning out of this. Media interprets it," he said talking to reporters in temple town of Shirdi in Maharashtra.
When asked if it is because of the BJP's allegations of nepotism, he said, "Rahul Gandhi said it in 2019 that he would work more without any post. He had said this in the working committee. He said that he still stands on his statement that he would work for the party without a post, as the party says."
Congress' presidential post election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19.
"It's decided that I'll contest (for the post of Congress president). I'll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). It's a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country," he said while adding that Congress general secretary Ajay Maken and party interim president Sonia Gandhi will decide the further proceedings 'if he becomes the party president'.