Congress worker threatens suicide in bid to convince Rahul to stay as party chief; stopped

With Rahul Gandhi unrelenting on his decision to quit as Congress president, a local party worker Tuesday created a flutter outside the party headquarters on Akbar Road in Delhi when he tried to climb a tree to attempt suicide.

He, however, was stopped by Congress leaders and workers present there.

Sources said Hanif Khan, a local leader, claimed he would "commit suicide by hanging from a tree" if Gandhi did not take back his decision to resign as party chief.

"Rahul Gandhi should take back his resignation else I will hang myself," he told the media before making his attempt.

The incident comes in the wake of a spate of resignations by several Congress leaders at different levels, urging Gandhi to not resign. Some Congress workers also sat on a dharna to show support to Gandhi.

Sources said Gandhi has told chief ministers of party-ruled states that he was not going back on his decision, even as they urged him to reconsider and hoped he would take the "right decision" and act positively on their plea.

Party leaders, including AICC Secretaries Mahender Joshi, Naseeb Singh and other leaders including Delhi working president Rajesh Lilothia, Shobha Oza, Jagdish Tytler along with party activists sat on a 'dharna', seeking that Gandhi continues as party chief.

Gandhi offered to step down as party chief on May 25 at the Congress Working Committee meeting, taking full responsibility for the party's poor show in Lok Sabha elections.

The CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, has rejected his resignation and authorised him to revamp and restructure the party at all levels.