Ally JD(S) on Wednesday joined Congress leaders in urging Rahul Gandhi not to insist on his resignation as party chief, as state units passed resolutions and workers held demonstrations to press a similar demand.
Delhi Congress Chief Shiela Dikshit met Gandhi, who is said to be firm on giving up the post and has been telling leaders to look for his replacement from outside the Gandhi family.
There was no official word on what Gandhi said but Dikshit said, "I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise, it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him."
Jagdish Tytler, along with other Congress leaders and supporters gathered outside Gandhi's residence holding placards and banners urging him not to resign.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that Gandhi should not resign from his post while asserting that he will meet him tomorrow to convey the same.
Speaking to media after a meeting with Congress and JD(S) leaders here on Wednesday, he said, "I will meet him (Rahul) tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign."
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Congress workers also demonstrated outside the party's Bengaluru office urging the Gandhi scion to continue as the party President.
"Losing elections isn't a big deal. We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president because we need his leadership along with Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to boost our confidence and work hard for the party," Naveen Chandra, a party worker said.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) passed a resolution urging Gandhi to continue as the party President.
"Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee has passed a resolution, requesting Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party President," said Avinash Pande, Rajasthan Congress in-charge while speaking to media persons here.
The resolution was passed in a meeting chaired by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC chief, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
"We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as a party president. As there is a need for a strong opposition, we have urged him to guide us further. He has worked really hard for the party. This is not the last election, we will win people's hearts in the next election," Pilot said.
The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee also passed a resolution to request Gandhi to continue as AICC President.
On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) working president Jayakumar had asserted that the mandate received by Congress and its allies in South India is a testimony of people's faith in party president Rahul Gandhi and hence, he must not resign respecting their faith. He also informed that they will pass a resolution urging the Congress president to continue on the post.
Yesterday, another key Congress ally DMK chief MK Stalin, whose party led the UPA alliance including Congress in Tamil Nadu, also batted for the continuance of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress president.
A few days back on May 25, P Chidambaram got emotional while appealing to Gandhi not to step down from his post, claiming that the party's cadres in the southern states will commit suicide.
The developments come days after Rahul had offered to step down from the party post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on May 25, taking moral responsibility for the party's dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
However, Rahul's offer of resignation was unanimously rejected by the CWC.
So far, several top leaders have met Gandhi and urged him to continue to lead the party.
Sources said that despite senior members making serious attempts to convince the 48-year-old party chief to rethink his decision, he remains unfazed.
On Tuesday, the party asserted that they are not facing any crisis and all speculations are just a creation of the media.
The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than 2014 in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while BJP bagged 303.
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