Rajagopalachari's grandson Kesavan quits Congress; says not joining any party

In a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Kesavan said he has not seen any vestiges of the values that made him work for the Party with dedication for over two decades.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Congress leader CR Kesavan, great grandson of India's first Indian Governor-General C Rajagopalachari, has announced his resignation from Congress party, with immediate effect. He shot off a letter to this effect to party President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday.

Kesavan said he has submitted the resignation to the appropriate authority as a trustee of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Charitable Trust as well besides giving up the primary membership of the party. "For a while now I have not seen any vestiges of the values that made me work for the Party with dedication for over two decades,” Kesavan said.

I can no longer in good conscience say that I concur with what the Party presently symbolises, stands for or seeks to propagate. This is why I had recently declined an organisational responsibility at the national level and also refrained from participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he said.

While recalling his journey with the Congress party, Kesavan said that he had returned to India to serve the nation leaving behind a successful career abroad. Driven by an Ideology that was all inclusive and committed to the goal of incremental national transformation, joined the Congress Party in 2001, he said.

The journey thereafter was challenging and engaging and I got an opportunity to serve as Vice President in the rank of a State Minister of the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development at Sriperumbudur. Member of the Prasar Bharati Board, National Council Member of the Indian Youth Congress and as a National Media Panelist, among others, he said listed out the roles he served.

He said he earnestly thanks the party and Sonia Gandhi for the responsibilities entrusted to him in government and the organisation. I have forged cherished friendships here that will remain, he said. Kesavan also ruled out speculations of him joining another party.

• Attached herewith is my Letter of Resignation from the Indian National Congress. Jai Hind!@TamilTheHindu @dinamalarweb @dinathanthi @DinakaranNews @maalaimalar @PTTVOnlineNews @ThanthiTV @sunnewstamil @news7tamil @polimernews @News18TamilNadu @Kalaignarnews @JagranNews @lokmat pic.twitter.com/0QVlQ5ymIY

  — C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) February 23, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Attached herewith is my Letter of Resignation from the Indian National Congress. Jai Hind!@TamilTheHindu @dinamalarweb @dinathanthi @DinakaranNews @maalaimalar @PTTVOnlineNews @ThanthiTV @sunnewstamil @news7tamil @polimernews @News18TamilNadu @Kalaignarnews @JagranNews @lokmat pic.twitter.com/0QVlQ5ymIY

  — C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) February 23, 2023

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  Attached herewith is my Letter of Resignation from the Indian National Congress. Jai Hind!@TamilTheHindu @dinamalarweb @dinathanthi @DinakaranNews @maalaimalar @PTTVOnlineNews @ThanthiTV @sunnewstamil @news7tamil @polimernews @News18TamilNadu @Kalaignarnews @JagranNews @lokmat pic.twitter.com/0QVlQ5ymIY

  — C.R.Kesavan (@crkesavan) February 23, 2023

"There will be speculation of going to another Party but to set the record straight, I have nor spoken to anybody and honestly neither know what will unfold next. I will endeavour in good faith to resolutely serve our country through a political platform it will be one where I can continue to steadfastly uphold the integrity and ideals of public life, instilled and defended by the founding fathers and mothers of our great nation and my great grandfather C Rajagopalachari," Kesavan said.