Goa Congress urges Rahul Gandhi to take over as party chief

Sachin Pilot had recently said that Rahul may take over as the Congress president shortly after Diwali

A resolution requesting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take charge as the party president was adopted today by the newly-elected Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) in its first meeting.

The GPCC, which met the first time since elections were held for various posts under it recently, also adopted a resolution empowering party president Sonia Gandhi to decide new state party unit chief as well as AICC members from the state.

Shantaram Naik is the incumbent president of the Goa Congress.

"The newly-elected PCC has resolved to request Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party president," Congress Pradesh Returning Officer R Dhruvanarayan told reporters.

Dhruvanarayan said no names for the post of state unit president were discussed at the GPCC meeting.

He said the party high command is expected to take the decision on the nomination of new GPCC chief in the fortnight.

Many leaders in Congress feel Rahul Gandhi's elevation as the party president is long overdue.

Senior leader Sachin Pilot had recently said the party vice-president may take over as the Congress president shortly after Diwali.