Make Rahul Congress President, more delay will cause incalculable harm: Vamshi Chand Reddy

A day ahead of the crucial CWC meeting, AICC secretary Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy wrote to all Congress Working Committee (CWC) members saying that Rahul Gandhi should be made the party president as soon as possible.

New Delhi: Any further delay in promoting Rahul Gandhi to the post of Congress President will cause "incalculable harm" to the party's progress and will be "dispiriting to the entire Congress family", said AICC secretary Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy in a letter to all Congress Working Committee (CWC) members on Sunday.

A day ahead of the crucial CWC meeting, Reddy said that this decision would "create a launching pad for further creative action and get us all prepared for any eventuality".

He said that Rahul is the only leader who can unite the young and the old in the party and added that he "alone can drive us through these darkest times".

"In view of existing conditions, any further delay in promoting Rahulji as the President-AICC can cause incalculable harm to the progress of the Congress party and can be dispiriting to the entire Congress family. We need him back to eliminate the accumulated resentment in the minds of millions of our committed workers and re-energise us with a new ray of hope," Reddy said in the letter.

Earlier, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said in a tweet on Saturday that meeting of the CWC will be held on August 24 at 11 am through video conferencing.

There has been a debate in the Congress on the issue of leadership with a section of the party pitching for return of Rahul Gandhi as party President.

Assam Congress president Ripun Bora on Sunday said he reiterates his demand to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to give the leadership of the party to Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared only of him.

Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said:" Rahulji should now lead the Congress. With due respect to his sentiments, we would like to say, 'Come Back, Rahulji'. Until he takes over as full-time president, Soniaji should lead Congress family as party's interim president."

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel wrote to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi requesting him to take charge as the president of Congress party.

Rahul Gandhi has been leading the party's attack on the Narendra Modi government on a range of issues including border tensions with China.

Sonia Gandhi completed one year as the party's interim chief earlier this month. She took over the reins of the party for a second time after Rahul Gandhi stepped down as party chief following Congress suffering its second successive defeat in Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

Sections of the party feel that the uncertainty over the leadership issue should end soon as it will help the party take on the BJP-led government more forcefully.

(ANI)