During UPA -II, Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister had offered his post to former party’s chief Rahul Gandhi, as he wants to step down due to his health issues, claimed Shaktisinh Gohil, congress leaderon Wednesday.Although, Rahul Gandhi has turned down the proposal and requested Manmohan Singh to complete his term, at a press conference he said in response to a question related to party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s expressed her willingness to work under non-Gandhi Congress chief.
“This is the graciousness of the Gandhi family. they don’t hanker after power. Sonia Gandhi refused to become Prime Minister in 1991 and then in 2004 and Rahul Gandhi declined the offer during UPA-II,” said Gohil.
Asked when Manmohan Singh made the offer, he responded that it was widely reported in the media.
The Congress leader’s comment came in view of a claim made in book “India Tomorrow: Conversations with the Next Generation of Political Leaders” by Pradeep Chibber and Harsh Shah.
The book states that Priyanka Gandhi was ready to work under a Non-Gandhi President after the Rahul Gandhi’s resignation from the party followed by the party’s rout in the 2019 general elections.
“If there were to be another party President, he would be my boss. If he tells me tomorrow that he doesn’t want me in Uttar Pradesh but wants me to be in Andaman and Nicobar (Islands), then I would jolly well go to Andaman and Nicobar,” as per her book ,she had said.
Rahul Gandhi had also said that the party should elect a President from outside the Gandhi family, but last year in August, Sonia Gandhi was appointed as the interim President of the Congress party.
Though, the Congress downplayed the Priyanka Gandhi’s alleged remarks and blamed the BJP for stoking the issue.
“We, at INC India, appreciate the sudden media interest (egged on by BJP in a year old remark (dated July 1, 2019) of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” said Randeep Singh Surjewala, party’s chief spokesperson in a statement.
