Amid Congress rumblings, Bhupesh Baghel urges Rahul Gandhi to take over as Party President

Amid the internal bickering in Congress, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel appealed to Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi to once again lead the party. According to him, the Congress party would reach new heights under Rahul Gandhi's "powerful leadership" and help Indians overcome the present-day challenges. Recalling the contribution of the Nehru-Gandhi family in the making of modern India, Baghel observed that lakhs of Congress workers have always reposed their trust in them irrespective of the party going through a crisis situation.

Referring to the ideological differences expressed by some party leaders, he urged them to maintain unity at this crucial juncture. The Chhattisgarh CM claimed that Congress allows a detailed discussion on issues at multiple party forums after which a decision is taken democratically. In his letter to Rahul Gandhi, Baghel listed the party's efforts in Gujarat coupled with Congress' success in the 2018 Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

He opined that various schemes benefiting the poor, farmers, workers, youth, and traders have been introduced in Chhattisgarh under the Wayanad MP's "guidance". Moreover, he maintained that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul are the only ray of hope to help the country recover from the current crisis. Sonia Gandhi had taken over as interim president on August 10, 2019, after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the Congress party's debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. 

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Demand for reforms

Reportedly, several Congress leaders wrote to the Congress president on August 12 calling for sweeping changes in the party's functioning. As per suspended Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha, more than 300 leaders representing all regions and states are signatories to the letter. Some of the senior leaders who have reportedly signed the letter include Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari, Milind Deora, Mukul Wasnik, Jitin Prasada, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and Prithviraj Chavan. 

Highlighting the challenges faced by India, the leaders argued that the revival of the Congress party is a national imperative. They stressed that the uncertainly over the leadership and the drift in the party have weakened Congress and demoralized the workers. They have allegedly put forth many suggestions such as the need for a full-time leadership available at the national and state headquarters, conducting elections at all levels including the Congress Working Committee and state level, the formation of an Independent Election Authority, and institutional leadership mechanism to guide the party's revival. 

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