Himachal Congress asks Rahul not to quit as party chief (Lead correcting headline)

The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Wednesday urged party President Rahul Gandhi not to resign following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in the country.

State Congress President Kuldeep Rathore, who chaired a meeting of the state unit, unanimously passed a resolution in this regard and sent it to the Congress Working Committee for perusal.

The resolution urged Gandhi to take back his resignation for the sake of the party and the country.

At the meeting, six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that at this crucial moment, there was a need to strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi. "The country and the party needs his leadership."

Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said the main agenda of the BJP was to make a Congress-free India. "For this reason, they are trying to dislodge Rahul Gandhi from the post of presidentship."

"Our foremost priority is to persuade Rahulji to change his mind as he is only one who can provide the best leadership to the party," Rathore told reporters.

He admitted that "the party needs to do an introspection to look into reasons for its defeat and this needs to be done once Rahulji re-assumes charge".

The Congress lost all four Lok Sabha seats to the BJP in Himachal Pradesh.

--IANS

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