Rahul Gandhi to continue as president, says Congress, as leadership crisis deepens

The Indian National Congress (INC) on Thursday asserted that its president Rahul Gandhi will continue to lead the grand old party even as the Gandhi scion remains firm on his decision to step down from the post after the party's humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi had offered to quit as the party chief during a May 25 meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which was called to analyse the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it managed to win just 52 seats. The CWC had unanimously rejected his offer to quit but Gandhi was apparently firm on his stand.

"I will not say anything more than what my party said earlier. Take this as my repetition, adoption, endorsement and reaffirmation of Shri Surjewala's statement made on Wednesday," senior party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said when he was asked to clear the air over Rahul's presidency

READ: Rahul Gandhi Was, Is And Will Remain Congress President: Randeep Surjewala

.Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had on Wednesday asserted that Gandhi will remain on the helm of the Congress party.

"He was, is and will remain as the President of the Indian National Congress," he had stated.

"All Congressmen were in unison when it came to oppose their leader's resignation," Politician, M Veerappa Moily stated,

Rahul Gandhi had offered to resign from his post at the Congress Working Committee meeting last month, taking moral responsibility of the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. The statement thus came in the aftermath of several party state and district units passing a resolution, urging Rahul Gandhi to continue on his post.

READ: Deadlock Over Rahul Gandhi's Resignation Continues, So Does Uncertainty Over Leadership

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders on Wednesday informally met to take stock of the political situation in absence of members of the Gandhi family. According to sources, the Congress party is in dilemma as to who will take over and lead the party as Gandhi is insistent that a new person should be handed over the reins of the party.

Gandhi has kept himself aloof after offering resignation and met only a handful of party leaders including the party treasurer Ahmed Patel, NCP chief Sharad Pawar besides meeting a Chinese delegation at Sonia Gandhi's residence last week.

Although Congress put a poor show in the Lok Sabha polls by winning just 53 seats paving the way for BJP's 2nd term rule, most leaders have been hoping that Gandhi will continue to lead the party as the 'Nehru-Gandhi family acts as a "glue" that binds the Congress together'.