Rahul Gandhi resigns as leader of India's opposition Congress party
- Gandhi had already announced his intention to step down after Congress’ drubbing in national elections earlier this summer
- But his party didn’t want to let him – and his departure now could spark a succession crisis
.png?itok=arIb17P0)
“Accountability is critical for the future growth of our party. It is for this reason that I have resigned as Congress president,” he said in a statement posted on his official Twitter account.
Gandhi, who was seeking to become the fourth member of his family dynasty to become prime minister, had been Congress president since December 2017.
The party is often seen as a political vehicle for the Nehru-Gandhi family, which has produced a number of India’s prime ministers.
Gandhi lost his seat in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, during May’s elections and had announced his intention to step down, but the party’s executive committee unanimously rejected his offer to do so.
A protest against his resignation was even organised by 81-year-old Congress grande dame Sheila Dikshit.
In his letter published on Wednesday, Gandhi said rebuilding the party would require hard decisions and numerous people including him would have to be made accountable for the “failure of 2019.”
He said that he had no hatred or anger towards the BJP but he was against their idea of India.
For Congress, the party’s not over if it looks to Kerala
“The attack on our country and cherished constitution that is taking place is designed to destroy the fabric of our nation,” he wrote, adding that he was not stepping back from the fight and would continue to serve the party.
Despite its drubbing, Congress remains the second largest party in the Indian parliament; with its allies, it controls 91 seats. The party itself, however, will not stake a claim for the position of the leader of the opposition after falling three short of the required 55 seats.
Is redemption possible for Congress after election rout?
Gandhi earlier requested that his successor should not be from his family, but in his resignation letter he said it would not be correct for him to choose the next leader and it should be entrusted to other people.
India’s grand old party may not be ready for a president from outside that dynasty, however.
Of the 18 individuals who have been Congress presidents since India’s independence in 1947, five have been from the Nehru-Gandhi family. However, in the 34 years since Rahul Gandhi’s father Rajiv took charge, there have been only two non-family party presidents, for a total of six years.
Additional reporting by DPA
