Congress CMs Meet Rahul Gandhi, Urge Him To Remain Party President

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy will be present at the meeting with Gandhi on Monday afternoon.

Picture: @ashokgehlot51 (Twitter account)

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi today met the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states on Monday who expressed their views on the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.  The meeting came in the backdrop of a continuing suspense over Gandhi's future role in the party and a spate of resignations by Congress leaders at various levels. Reports say he did not comment on whether he would want to continue as Congress president even as the chief ministers urged him to lead the party. Monday's meeting was Gandhi's first with the chief ministers since he told the CWC that he wanted to resign as the party chief. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was part of the meeting, told reporters "It was a good meeting, we talked for around 2 hours, we conveyed to him the feelings of our party workers & leaders. We hope he takes note of our views and does the right thing." Today's meeting was to brainstorm over the dismal performance of the grand old party in the general polls, especially in the Hindi heartland states where it won three Assembly elections in December last. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy were part of the meeting. Gehlot had earlier informed on Twitter that the chief ministers will show their solidarity and also own the responsibility of the party’s poor performance in the genera elections. “All Chief Ministers of Congress ruled states will be meeting Hon’ble Congress President Sh. #RahulGandhi today at his residence to show our solidarity. Earlier also we all have stated that we are with Hon’ble CP and we own the responsibility of the 2019 debacle,” he tweeted.

We firmly believe that only he can lead the party in the current scenario, his commitment towards well being of our country and countrymen is un-compromised and unmatched.

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 1, 2019

The chief minister said the party CMs believe that only Rahul Gandhi can lead the party in the current scenario. “....his commitment towards well being of our country and countrymen is un-compromised and unmatched.” Gehlot hit out at the BJP saying the ruling party managed to hide its huge failures behind its "fanatic nationalism" with the help of enormous resources and government machinery at hand.

The 2019 election was not a defeat of program, policy and ideology of the Congress. Although, it was very unfortunate to see that despite the failure of Modi government on various fronts including the depleting economy, 1/2

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 1, 2019

At the May 25 Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, where Gandhi had offered to resign, he had lamented that Nath and Gehlot had kept their sons over the party.

BJP did manage to hide their huge failures behind their fanatic nationalism wd help of enormous resources n govt machinery at hand. But,in spite all odds,it’s no secret how amidst opposition,only Congress Prez did his best to make it an issue based election n took BJP head on 2/2

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 1, 2019

(With additional information from PTI)