My decision is clear: Rahul Gandhi rejects Ashok Gehlot's plea to remain Congress chief

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi remains unmoved on his decision to quit as party president.

Even a plea from senior Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot did not change Rahul Gandhi's resolve to quit the post.

On Monday morning, Ashok Gehlot had tweeted that only Rahul Gandhi can lead the party in the current scenario.

"We firmly believe that only he [Rahul Gandhi] can lead the party in the current scenario, his commitment towards well being of our country and countrymen is un-compromised and unmatched," Ashok Gehlot wrote on Twitter.

Staying firm on his decision, Rahul Gandhi told reporters, "I have made my decision clear. You all know it."

Rahul Gandhi's statement comes shortly before chief ministers of Congress-ruled states will meet him in New Delhi. Chief ministers of Congress-ruled states will be meeting Rahul Gandhi at 3.30 pm to discuss his decision to resign from the post of Congress president.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of continuing suspense over Rahul Gandhi's future role in the party and a spate of resignations by Congress leaders at various



levels.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy will be present at the meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Monday afternoon.

While announcing the meeting, Ashok Gehlot owned up to the Congress's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections and took responsibility for it.

"Earlier also we all have stated that we are with the Congress president and we own the responsibility of the 2019 debacle," Ashok Gehlot wrote.

Rahul Gandhi has reportedly been miffed with Ashok Gehlot as the latter spent his energies on campaigning for his son Vaibhav in Jodhpur during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections instead of taking charge of the state-wide Congress campaign.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress saw a complete wipeout in Rajasthan with Bharatiya Janata Party winning all 25 seats in the state.

At the May 25 Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, where Rahul Gandhi had offered to resign, he had lamented that Kamal Nath and Ashok Gehlot had put their sons above the party.