UP Congress authorises Sonia Gandhi to select party’s next national president

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday authorised party president Sonia Gandhi to select all office bearers, including the state unit president and the organisation’s next national president.

This comes amid growing clamour within the Congress to make Rahul Gandhi president of the party again with half a dozen state units so far seeking his elevation to the top post, even as uncertainty and suspense persisted over whether he would take on the mantle.

State Congress Legislature leader Aradhana Mishra said a resolution was passed unanimously at the party’s convention held here calling upon party president Sonia Gandhi to be their leader authorised for selecting all office bearers.

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The members also agreed to accept all decisions taken by her, Mishra said.

She said the party’s Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari proposed to give the right to choose all the office bearers, including the state president and national president, to Sonia Gandhi. The proposal was supported by everyone, she added.

After Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat units of the Congress passed resolutions that Gandhi should be made party chief, the party’s Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Bihar units on Monday passed resolutions seeking Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the top post.

The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on September 22 and the process for filing nominations will be held from September 24 to 30.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19.

Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ had resigned from the post of Uttar Pradesh Congress president after the party’s poor performance in the last assembly elections when it managed to win just two seats.

Since then, no new state president has been elected.

Tiwari said Congress is the only party where elections are held from block to national president level and the leaders and workers of the party are proud of this.

Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, Tiwari said, “The Congress fought for the country’s freedom while those who bowed before the British are now in power.”

“The Congress party is fighting the same kind of battle once again to unite India. In such a situation, it is the duty of every party representative to strengthen Congress President Sonia Gandhi,” he added.

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