As the countdown began for the election of Congress president, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the party is "unanimously" in favour of Rahul Gandhi for the post.
The party's election authority has said it will stick to the schedule of electing a new chief by September 20.
Gehlot said that considering the sentiments of Congress workers across the country, Rahul Gandhi should accept the role.
"If Rahul Gandhi does not become the party president, it will be a disappointment for the Congressmen in the country. Many people will sit at home and we will suffer. He (Rahul Gandhi) should accept this post by himself, understanding the sentiments of the common Congress people in the country," Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur.
The chief minister said even within the party, there is an opinion in favour of making Rahul Gandhi the new president.
"The unanimous opinion is in support of his becoming the president. So, I think he should accept it. It is not about Gandhi or non-Gandhi family. It is the work of the organisation and no one is becoming a prime minister," he said.
"In the last 32 years, no person from Gandhi family became the prime minister, Union minister or chief minister. Then why Modi ji is afraid of this family. Why does Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have to say that nothing happened in 75 years in the country. Why is everyone attacking the Congress?"
"Because the DNA of the Congress party and the country is the same before Independence and after Independence. The Congress is the party that takes all religions and classes along," the Rajasthan CM said.
Gehlot said that Congress has kept democracy alive in the country in the last 75 years, due to which today Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country and Kejriwal is the Chief Minister of Delhi.
"In 75 years, Congress kept democracy alive in the country. This is a gift of Congress to the country," he said.
The chief minister exuded confidence that the party would once again win the state assembly elections to be held next year.
"We will win the next assembly elections, and then the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This time it is not an easy game for PM Modi. The way Nitish Kumar has given a blow to the BJP in Bihar and the Congress has cornered the central government through protests led by Rahul Gandhi on the issue of inflation and unemployment, the Modi government has shaken," Gehlot said.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Rajasthan Congress Working Committee was held here on Monday. During the meet, preparations for 'Halla Bol Maharally' to be organized at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on September 4 by the All India Congress Committee against rising inflation and unemployment in the country were discussed.
"The meeting discussed how to make the rally a success. For this, further meetings will be held at the district level on August 25 and assembly-wise on August 27. We have a target to take more than 50,000 workers from the state to Delhi rally," said Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra who chaired the meeting.
The chief minister also said that the Centre imposed GST on the basic food items such as flour, milk, and curd, and to mislead the public, lies are being spread by the central government that the decision has been taken with the consent of the state governments.
He said that against the false claim of the central government, the Congress government of Rajasthan had expressed its dissent by sending letters twice for not levying GST on these items.
He said that on August 5, all Congressmen, including senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had demonstrated wearing black clothes against the rising inflation and unemployment in the country.
"Feared by the Congress protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started talking about black magic, while the reality is that economic inequality is increasing in the country," Gehlot said.
He said that without remembering the contribution of first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence cannot be successful.
He said the name of the great leader who spent 10 to 12 years in jail and was the first prime minister of the country is not being taken and the contribution made by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the development of the country is not being discussed.
There is no mention of the path shown by great freedom fighters like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the CM said, adding the Centre is making a mockery of the Independence movement by only organizing events.
Gehlot said due to rising inflation and unemployment in the country, the situation has become explosive and crimes are increasing, and alleged that BJP is working to divide the society on the basis of religion and caste.
