Take charge, douse fire in Cong: Moily tells Rahul Gandhi

Appealing to Rahul Gandhi, Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily Friday asked him to step in and quell dissidence raging in some state units, saying he can't quit as the party president without putting in place an alternative.

"We are all concerned in the party," the former Union Minister said referring to reports of infighting in Punjab and Rajasthan and desertions in Telangana and Maharashtra. "When leadership does not act, all these things will happen".

Gandhi offered to quit as the chief in the May 25 meeting of the Congress Working Committee after the party's Lok Sabha poll debacle. The CWC had unanimously rejected his offer but Rahul is reportedly firm on quitting the post.

"And even if he wants to resign, this is not the time. Unless he puts an alternative in place to handle the situation, I don't think Rahul Gandhi should just leave the position," the former Karnataka Chief Minister told PTI.

The senior Congress leader said Gandhi should immediately "recall" his resignation, take charge, assert himself, enforce discipline and revamp the party without loss of time, infusing "confidence, vigour and passion."
The Congress should not get frustrated by the Lok Sabha election setback, he said, adding, the party would bounce back in the future. "That kind of optimism should be with every Congress leader and also with Congress rank and file."
"He (Gandhi) should immediately take stock of the things. You cannot keep that post (of Congress President) vacant. He has to step in; discipline has to be enforced, wherever there are problems, on a war-footing that have to be tackled."