Don't quit,Telangana Congress urges Rahul

Hyderabad: Telangana Congress on Wednesday strongly urged party president Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his proposal to resign his post and lead the party. Several leaders held press meets, issued statements and held demonstrations demanding Rahul to continue as president of the party. They made it clear that under Rahul only Congress would survive.

The National Students Union members under the leadership of NSUI State president B Venkat staged demonstration in front of Gandhi Bhavan, in the evening, urging Rahul to continue in the office.

All India Congress Committee secretary V Hanumantha Rao told reporters that the defeat of Congress in Parliament elections should not be attributed to Rahul. He reminded that even Indira Gandhi lost the elections in 1977. VH said that there was a lot of difference between Gandhi family and other families. He said what would be the condition of common worker if Rahul resigns.

Congress Kisan Cell national vice chairman M Kodanda Reddy said that the leaders of various States were responsible for the defeat of the Congress in Parliament polls. He said that Rahul had given free hand to the leaders to select the candidates. However, several errors took place in selecting the candidates and that led to the defeat of the party. He made it clear that Rahul should continue as AICC president. Sangareddy MLA T Jagga Reddy said that with the decision of Rahul to resign, the prospects of cleansing the party have brightened.

He said that Rahul has begun an operation strategically to cleanse the party. He said Rahul wants to complete the operation without giving pain to anyone. He said that the existence of Congress is not possible without Gandhi family.

Reddy made it clear that the rule of the Gandhi family should not be compared to dynasty rule. He said that when Nehru was Prime Minister Indira was not part of the cabinet. In the same way any member of the family of Gandhis' was not part of the governments of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi.

The leaders of NSUI and the Youth Congress should be encouraged and the services of the veterans and the youngsters should be used equally, he emphasized. PCC vice president Mallu Ravi said that the Congress would remain intact only under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. The party faced similar situation in 1998 and Sonia Gandhi took over as president and put the party in the right track, he added.