Ambiguity continues over party chief, Rahul to lead Congress campaign in assembly polls

With preparations well underway for the election of full-time Congress president, party leader Rahul Gandhi will lead the party campaign in the forthcoming assembly polls in Kerela, Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. Party sources said Gandhi has not conveyed his willingness to return to the post of Congress president yet though he has said that he is prepared to take any responsibility given by the party.

New Delhi: As the process is underway for the election of full-time Congress president, party leader Rahul Gandhi will lead the party campaign in the forthcoming assembly polls in Kerela, Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.

Sources said Gandhi will undertake three-day bus yatra from January 23 in Tamil Nadu. The 200-km roadshow will begin from Coimbatore district and he will also visit Tiruppur, Odanilai and Karur.

Gandhi will also visit Kerala and is likely to visit his constituency Wayanad for two days from January 27. He was requested by Kerala leaders to campaign in the state.

Jitendra Singh, who is AICC in-charge of Assam, and Jitin Prasada, who is in-charge of West Bengal, have sent a proposal to Gandhi to campaign in their states.

Sources said that preparations are also being made for organisational elections.

They said Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry has sent a note to Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi about the final list of AICC members.

The sources said the party can go ahead for elections now and the ball is in Sonia Gandhi's court to call a meeting of Congress Working Committee to give a final nod.

Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had said at a press conference earlier that that 99.9 per cent of party workers want Gandhi to lead the party.

Party sources said Gandhi has not conveyed his willingness to return to the post yet though he has said that he is prepared to take any responsibility given by the party.

The campaign schedule shows that Gandhi will be the face of the party in the assembly polls.

Gandhi led the party delegation to the President Ram Nath Kovind against the farm laws and released a booklet concerning the laws on Tuesday.

The party's revamped website has a special section 'Rahul Gandhi speaks'.

ANI