Sonia Gandhi blocks son Rahul PM candidacy push

Published January 16, 2014
In this photograph taken on November 7, 2013 Congress Party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi gestures as he addresses Congress supporters at the party's headquarters in Srinagar. -AFP Photo
In this photograph taken on November 7, 2013 Congress Party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi gestures as he addresses Congress supporters at the party's headquarters in Srinagar. -AFP Photo

NEW DELHI: India's Sonia Gandhi stalled a push on Thursday for her son Rahul to be named the ruling Congress party's candidate for prime minister, saying such a move was against tradition.

There had been widespread expectations that Rahul would be formally declared as the party's choice for premier at a meeting in the capital New Delhi on Friday.

But party spokesman Janardan Dwivedi said that Sonia Gandhi, who is the party's powerful president, had made clear her opposition to such a move at a committee meeting in which Rahul indicated he was prepared to take on the mantle.

Her intervention is almost guaranteed to extinguish Rahul's chances of being anointed prime ministerial candidate on Friday.

“All the members of the CWC (Congress Working Committee) wanted him to be announced as the PM candidate but the Congress president intervened,” Dwivedi told reporters.

“She said: 'This is not the party's tradition (to announce its PM candidate before elections). Just because some party has declared the PM candidate, does not mean that Congress will do the same'.”

There has been a growing push within Congress to name the 43-year-old Rahul as candidate for prime minister after the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formally declared Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its choice.

Since Modi's elevation, the BJP has stretched its lead in the polls over Congress and the nomination of Rahul this week was seen as a desperate bid by the ruling party to avert humiliation when the world's largest democracy votes in an election due by May.

Sonia Gandhi, who is the widow of the slain former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, is seen as India's most powerful politician.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...