As speculation raged over the issue, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today said that time is right for Rahul Gandhi to take over from his mother as Congress President and favoured Priyanka's entry into active politics.
"Sonia Gandhi is a brilliant leader. I have said that she has been working (as Congress President) for the last 20 years. If she feels that time has come to give it to a new generation, then she should pass it on and we will fully support Rahul (to take over)," he told a press conference here.
He was replying to a question whether time has come for Congress Vice-President to take over from Sonia Gandhi.
Also Read
Singh said, "Look, she has not talked to me (on the issue). But what we are coming to know is that she is now feeling that the time has come for a new generation (to take over), which everyone today is saying.
"We are also saying so that 70 per cent of India's population is under the age of 40 years. She also knows this, may be she feels she would like to hand it over to the new generation. I think there is nothing wrong in it."
Asked if Rahul could take over this month itself, Amarinder said, "look, I do not know this. If Sonia wants to hand it over to Rahul ji, I think everybody will support".
About Sonia, he said, "she has worked really hard. Let me tell you the amount of work she has put in since 1997, it is amazing".
"Her way of work has been very intensive..Now, if she is feeling that the time has come for her to handover the baton to somebody else, then we must honour what she wants. I think we have gained so much from her over the last 20 years that if she herself wants to leave, then we must honour what she wants," he said.
Asked if this will become a benchmark for party leaders who are over 70 years of age to quit in favour of younger generation, Amarinder replied, "No, its not a benchmark, everyone has his or her time. And everyone gets tired after a while.
"I have also announced that I am not going to fight another election. Why because I have done 47 years now."
Amarinder Singh is leading the Congress' campaign ahead of crucial 2017 Punjab assembly elections, where the opposition party is eyeing to wrest power from the SAD-BJP combine.
About Rahul Gandhi, Amarinder Singh said, "I have been
interacting with Rahul as Vice-President. Executive decisions are being taken by him. I find him very perceptive, he asks pertinent questions and he agrees what you say, if he feels it is right."
"Sonia is a brilliant leader, but you know we have to give (pause). Why am I wanting to quit (fighting 2017 as last elections), because I think enough is enough.
I think the new generation has emerged and the baton should be passed to the new generation," he said.
"Similarly, I think Soniaji wants to do the same. Nobody is asking her to handover (the baton). It is her own thinking that she would like Rahul to take over. And that of course when the matter is put before the party, I am sure we will all endorse Rahul," he said.
(Reopen DEL24)
Asked if he has full faith in Rahul's leadership, the former Punjab CM further said, "I have been interacting with him on many occasions. Everybody learns and I think in the last 4-5 years, he has learnt a lot. I am meeting him even tomorrow."
When asked if he will make a good leader, he replied, "I am sure he will make a good leader."
He also added that Rahul belongs to a family in which politics runs in its blood right from Moti Lal Nehru to Jawahar Lal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
When asked what about Priyanka Gandhi, he said, "I hope she will come into (active politics). I have always suggested that she must come into this thing. She will be a great asset to the Congress President and the Vice-President."
Asked if Rahul will get full support of the party, he said, "why not. There is a system of take over, it is not Amarinder Singh announcing or Sonia ji announcing, the party will meet on the issue.
(Reopens DEL 25)
Meanwhile, Amarinder also favoured more powers for regional Congress party leaders as "they have to counter regional parties".
"PCC presidents should get more powers. I say so because our fight is with regional parties across India. And these parties decide at regional level whereas many of our decisions are linked with Delhi, you go to General Secretary and things like that...," he said.
(REOPENS DES73)
Former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Pratap Singh Bajwa also said that it was right time for Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party chief.
"India's 70 per cent population is under age of 40 years. Youngsters want younger faces. They want change to come in, new ideas to come in...If you see world over, you talk about American President, you talk about the Canadian Prime Minister, you talk about various other world leaders, they are all in their mid 40s and 50s," Bajwa said here today.
He said the younger leadership of the Congress was already looking for change.
"We the younger leadership of the Congress was already looking for a change," he said.
"I think that better sense seems to have prevailed with the senior leadership also. They have also started to say that Rahul Gandhi should be brought in," Bajwa said.
Batting for Rahul to take over the reins, Bajwa said, "If Rahul Gandhi is brought in with a new team, he is given a free hand and if he is given his own team, I am sure, over the coming years, Congress has a bright future ahead and he will turn around (Congress' fortunes)."
Praising Rahul, Bajwa said, "He is a very honest, upright man and we know his pedigree, we know the work that his family and the Congress have done for this nation. This nation has already seen through the game of Mr (Narendra) Modi. He is already failing and he is going to fail in future very soon. So, we need a new face and he (Rahul) would be the right person and this is the right time to come."
"Senior leaders have also realised that till the time Rahul Gandhi is not elevated, he is not given his own team, he is not given a free hand, things will not change for the Congress.
"When Rahul gets independent hand, independent team, I am very much sure that the results will come for the Congress and the results will come for the nation also. It is very important that India stands united, India gets better leadership," Bajwa added.
