Rahul quits as Congress president

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday formally resigned as Congress president, saying he is responsible for the loss in the Lok Sabha election and accountability is critical for the party’s future growth.

In a four-page open letter, Gandhi urged the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to entrust a group of people with the task of finding a new president as it would not be proper for him to do so. The 49-year-old — who has been adamant on his decision to quit as party president since May 25, two days after the results in which his party won 52 seats — also stressed on the need for the Congress to “radically transform itself”. Heralding what could be a new era in his party, Gandhi said it had been a honour to serve the Congress, whose values and ideals have served as the lifeblood of “this beautiful nation”. In a letter that was emotive in places and combative in others, he said he owed the country and his organisation a debt of tremendous gratitude and love. “As President of the Congress Party, I am responsible for the loss of the 2019 election. Accountability is critical for the future growth of our party. It is for this reason that I have resigned as Congress President. “Rebuilding the party



requires hard decisions and numerous people will have to be made accountable for the failure of 2019. It would be unjust to hold others accountable but ignore my own responsibility as president of the party,” he said in the letter shared on his Twitter account.

Gandhi, the most visible face of his party’s election campaign, noted that he personally fought Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and the institutions they have captured with all his being. “I fought because I love India... At times I stood completely alone and am extremely proud of it,” he said. “The stated objectives of the RSS, the capture of our country’s institutional structure, is now complete. Our democracy has been fundamentally weakened. There is a real danger that from now on, elections will go from being a determinant of India’s future to a mere ritual,” he said. Gandhi said this capture of power will result in “unimaginable levels of violence and pain for India.” while alleging that the PM’s win does not negate the “breadth of corruption allegations against him.” The Indian nation must unite to reclaim and resuscitate its institutions, Gandhi said.