'Rahul Gandhi offered to resign, CWC unanimously rejected offer'

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered to resign from his post following the party's drubbing in Lok Sabha polls but it was unanimously rejected by the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

"Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation, as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times," a resolution adopted in the meeting said.

Releasing the resolution, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the meeting decided that a complete introspection will be done on the reasons for the electoral debacle and authorised Gandhi to make changes in the party and restructure at every level.

 

Surjewala rejected suggestions from reporters that Gandhi suggested that a non-Gandhi should head the party after his resignation.

"CWC has given Congress president the right to makes changes to restructure the party, a plan for this will be brought soon," Surjewala said addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting.

"The CWC fully recognizes the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings, resulting into this mandate. The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress President for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest," the resolution said.

Earlier, even as the CWC meeting was in progress, Surjewala had dismissed reports that Gandhi had offered to resign from his post. "Such reports are not correct," he had said.

Congress, despite extensive campaigning by Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among other leaders, was decimated to a single seat - Raebareli, represented by Sonia Gandhi - in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul, who was the MP from Amethi since 2004, lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani.

The party put up a poor show in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where it had won the Assembly elections just five months ago.

In the 2014 general elections, the Congress had won 44 seats - the lowest score in its history. This year, it improved its tally marginally to reach 52 seats.

Meanwhile, the chiefs of Congress' units in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha have offered to resign from their post owing to the party's poor performance.