Rahul should continue as Cong chief, poll setback passing phase: Moily

Backing the continuation of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress president, senior party leader M Veerappa Moily on Tuesday termed the Lok Sabha election setback for the grand old party as a "passing phase".

The former Union minister said the outcome of one or two elections could not be a pointer to the future prospects of the party, which had seen many ups and downs in its long history.

Describing Gandhi as the "inspiration" for the party, Moily said it was not appropriate for him to quit as the Congress chief.

"Just because (Narendra) Modi has won...that is not a criteria to leave the presidentship. After all, ups and downs are common for the Congress party. We have seen them many a time," he told PTI.

Recalling that the Congress had secured more than 400 seats in the 1984 Lok Sabha election, Moily said, "...the future prospects of the Congress cannot be decided in one Lok Sabha election or one or two Assembly polls."