Rahul Should 'Rethink' Decision: Chhattisgarh CM After 2 Cong State Committees Pass Motion To Re-Elect Former Party Chief

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said: "If this proposal comes from other states too, then Rahul should rethink on this matter."

New Delhi: After Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committees passed the resolution for making Rahul Gandhi the party's national president, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said that the Wayand MP should rethink his decision to not contest the Congress President election if more state committees follow suit.

"If this proposal comes from other states too, then Rahul should rethink on this matter," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI. 

Speaking about the upcoming polls, P Chidambaram said: "Congress president or not, Rahul Gandhi will always have pre-eminent place in party," PTI reported. 

Earlier in June, the resolution to make Rahul Gandhi as party chief was overwhelmingly passed in Chhattisgarh on the first day of the two-day Congress 'Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir' at Maheshwari Bhawan, according to a party release.

The ceremony was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, AICC state incharge PL Punia, party's state unit president Mohan Markam, AICC's state incharge secretary Chandan Yadav, state ministers, MPs, and MLAs.

On the other hand, the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday unanimously approved a resolution designating Rahul Gandhi as the party's national president, according to a state cabinet minister, PTI reported.

Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan, reportedly proposed the motion, according to food minister Pratap Singh Khachariya.

Congress President Poll Scheduled To Be Held On Oct 17

The notification date for the Congress poll is September 22, 2022, and candidates can submit their nominations between September 24 and September 30.

The deadline for withdrawal of the nominations is October 8.

The election will be held on October 17, while the results is scheduled to be released on October 19.

“Date of Election (if needed): October 17th, 2022 (Monday) 10am to 4pm. Date of Counting and Declaration of Result (if needed): October 19th, 2022 (Wednesday) 10am onwards,” the Congress press release reads.

Rahul Gandhi was the Congress president from 2017 until 2019.

When Rahul Gandhi was elected as Congress president in 2017, state units passed a similar resolution. He resigned following the party's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

(With Inputs From Agencies)