‘Resigned’ Rahul refuses to be Congress Lok Sabha leader

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday refused to become the party’s Lok Sabha leader, leading to selection of five-time MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for the post.

Despite his party’s reiteration that he should continue as party president, Gandhi also continued to stick to his stand that he wanted to step down.

The day’s developments unfolded when a strategy group comprising Congress parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh met at 10 Janpath in the morning, where Chowdhury and six-time Kerala MP Kodikunnel Suresh were also present.


According to a party insider, Sonia offered Rahul the post of leader of the party in the Lok Sabha but he refused it saying it should be given to an MP senior to him. After the meeting, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached 10 Janpath and held a meeting with Rahul and Sonia.

Chowdhury’s name came up only after the second meeting ended.

Congress’ leadership crisis, which is in its fourth week, began after Gandhi offered to resign as party chief and requested the working committee to select a new president after the Lok Sabha rout. Last Wednesday, senior Congress leaders met under AK Antony’s leadership in the absence of all three members of the Gandhi family.

After the meeting, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Gandhi will remain the Congress chief.

After returning from a foreign trip on Monday morning, Gandhi reiterated his stand. Some senior leaders also held informal discussions with him to request him to continue as party chief, according to the party insider. But he refused to give in.