Rahul Gandhi will be the PM face in 2019 election: Congress

Bringing all speculations and dilemma to an end, the Congress has categorically said that Rahul Gandhi would be the face of the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. AICC communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala added that he will be a “natural candidate” for the post of the Prime Minister, if the party bags maximum seats in the election.

Addressing a conference at the Congress headquarters, Surjewala said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had a log deliberation on the issue. “We have decided that the party would fight the election by putting forward Rahul Gandhi’s name,” said Surjewala.

“Naturally, the Congress president would be the only face to be projected. We expect to better our 2004 performance. People will decide. Once the Congress party becomes the single largest party touching the same magic figure of 200 or more, Congress party will be naturally leading whoever else wants to come and walk hand in hand,” he added.

A couple of hours ago, speaking at the CWC meet, senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said, “He is the leader of the main national (Opposition) party and the party would want our leader to be the face of the Opposition alliance.”

On the question of alliance, Surjewala told the media that CWC has authorised Rahul Gandhi to take his decision on pre-poll or post poll alliances. State-specific strategies would be followed by the party, said Surjewala.

It may be recalled in March 2018 that Rahul Gandhi himself had said that he would become the Prime Minister if Congress emerged as the single largest among all its coalition partners in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

The projection of Gandhi’s name as the face for PM is being viewed as “assertiveness” of the grand old party by analysts. Many feel that if the Congress gives up claim for the top post, it would further alienate masses from the party and will dent the party’s electoral prospects as well.

National general secretary and in-charge of organisations Ashok Gehlot also addressed the conference. He told reporters, “CWC has also authorised Gandhi to constitute an election committee to work out alliances with various national and regional parties to form a national grand alliance in 2019.”