Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said he wanted Rahul Gandhi to be All- India Congress Committee (AICC) again.
Speaking to presspersons here on Friday he said: “It’s my personal opinion that Mr. Gandhi should be elevated to the top post again. I have spared no effort to try to convince Mr. Gandhi to take over AICC reins.”
He said said that the Congress committees of several State units, including Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana, had made resolutions backing Mr. Gandhi. They had also requested him [Mr. Gandhi] to file nomination for the top post of the grand old party, he said.
Saying that he was not an aspirant for the AICC president’s post, Mr. Kharge clarified that he would not even file the nomination papers.
Mr. Kharge said that Mr. Gandhi was getting a good response to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. “The campaign had shown that Mr. Gandhi is the most powerful unifying force in the country. He is interacting with people from all walks of life, understanding their sufferings and trying to strike a chord with the deprived sections,” he said.
Though Mr. Gandhi was unwilling to take up the mantle, Mr. Kharge said that he would will again request him to take charge, for the sake of the party, and for the sake of the nation.
Reacting to the raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the residences and offices of the Popular Front of India (PFI) members, Mr. Kharge said that he was not aware of the grounds on which the raids were conducted.
The Centre could take action against organisations if they were found involved in any anti-national activity. However, such raids were also an attempt to suppress voices of dissent against the ruling BJP government, he added. Congress leaders Sharanprakash Patil, Sharnabasappa Gouda Darshanapur, Sharanbasappa Kamareddy, and Thippannappa Kamaknoor were present.
