English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Sachin Pilot revives rumours: Rahul to be elevated as party chief post-Diwali

Published

9 years ago

on

Rahul Gandhi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Many in the party feel that the prevailing dissatisfaction with Modi government due to economic slowdown presents a perfect opportunity for Rahul’s elevation

Rajasthan Congress chief and former MP, Sachin Pilot, has once again revived the rumours around the impending elevation of Rahul Gandhi as the party’s national president. Pilot’s indication, on Sunday, that the Congress vice president may take over the party chief’s mantle from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, after Diwali has set the political grapevine in New Delhi abuzz with all sorts of rumours.

In an interview to news agency PTI, Pilot – who is also a close aide of Rahul – said that the Congress vice president’s elevation had “been in the pipeline for long” and that it could now be executed “shortly after Diwali” once the ongoing process of the party’s internal organizational polls for choosing office bearers in the states is over.

Pilot’s views have been shared by another Rahul aide, former south Mumbai MP, Milind Deora who was also part of the party delegation that accompanied the Congress president last month for his much-publicised visit to the United States. Although Deora didn’t give any timeline for the elevation, he has seemed to confirm that Rahul will be made the Congress president “very soon”.

It may be recalled that in August this year, former Union minister and another confidante of the Congress vice president, Jairam Ramesh, had also indicated that “Rahul Gandhi will take charge as the party president before the end of 2017.”

The Amethi MP’s elevation as the Congress’ national president had always been a foregone conclusion and the only question about it has been about the timing. Often dubbed as a “reluctant politician” – though Rahul had during his recent conversation with students at the University of California, Berkeley said that these rumours are spread by BJP trolls – the Congress vice president had himself said during his recent visit that he ready to take on the new role and qualified his remark by asserting that the party would follow a democratic process to do this.

The old guard of the party has been wary of Rahul’s style of functioning – many party veterans who quit the Congress in the past three years, mostly to join the BJP, had blamed their decision on Rahul. However, it is believed that if Rahul takes over as the party president as soon as post-Diwali he wouldn’t step on the toes of the party veterans and instead try to build a scenario where the old guard gets roles in planning the party’s poll strategies, working out manifestoes for provincial and federal elections, firming up the party’s stand on critical political issues, etc. Similarly, Rahul might want to use his aides – the likes of Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Shashi Tharoor, etc to take on more active grassroots roles while also helping the old guard in running the organisation.

The Congress president has not been keeping well for some years now. However, in times of a crisis within the party or when the Congress is trying to keep the Opposition parties united in an effort to take on the formidable BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, Sonia Gandhi has stepped in behind the scenes, and sometimes in public view, to project her party’s stand.

However, Congress sources say, that Sonia also realizes that delaying Rahul’s impending elevation for want of “the best suitable scenario” may no longer be a viable option. The party’s poll prospects have taken a huge beating in recent years and show no signs of reviving given the BJP’s shrewd and shrill poll strategies and rhetoric. Also, sources point out that given the state of her health she can’t devote as much time to the party and any hectic political activity like election campaigns as she did before.

Many in the Congress believe that Rahul’s recent visit to the US where he stridently took on Modi and the BJP on a range of issues, has been well received by leaders within the party, sympathizers on the grassroots and that section of the Indian electorate that has been hit the hardest by issues like demonetisation, economic downturn, lack of jobs and the GST rollout – all of which the Congress vice president red-flagged.

These reviews coupled with unrest within the BJP over the Centre’s inability to revive the Indian economy – as has been evident from the diatribes of BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Subramanian Swamy and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy – provide a “suitable scenario”for Rahul’s elevation, a senior Congress leader said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Amit Shah praises Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, says Nation above post

Amit Shah hailed Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister, saying BJP places the nation and students above any position while highlighting the government’s commitment to examination reforms.

Published

24 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday praised Dharmendra Pradhan’s decision to step down as Union Education Minister, saying the move reflected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to placing the nation and students above any political position.

In a post on X, Shah said that for BJP workers, the country, its youth and students are more important than any office. He described Pradhan’s resignation as an example of the party’s guiding principle of prioritising national interest over personal ambition.

Shah highlights government’s focus on exam reforms

Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government respects the sentiments of students and remains committed to strengthening the examination system following concerns over alleged paper leaks.

He said the Centre has introduced strict measures to ensure severe punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks and expressed confidence that these steps would deliver justice to students who cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

Praises Pradhan’s work as Education Minister

Recalling Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure, Shah highlighted several initiatives undertaken during his time in the Education Ministry. He credited Pradhan with helping implement the National Education Policy (NEP), expanding PM SHRI schools, promoting digital education, strengthening skill development and improving coordination between industry and academic institutions.

Shah also said Pradhan worked towards making examinations more inclusive and student-centric, adding that his tenure reflected his commitment to the vision of a developed India.

Resignation follows NEET controversy

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation comes amid nationwide protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and growing demands for accountability.

The resignation has triggered political reactions across party lines. While opposition parties have described the development as a result of sustained student protests, BJP leaders have projected it as an example of accountability and commitment to national interest.

Continue Reading

India News

Assam flood death toll rises to 66, over 6.5 lakh people still affected

Assam’s flood situation improved slightly on Saturday, but more than 6.54 lakh people remain affected in six districts. Four fresh deaths have pushed the state’s flood toll to 66.

Published

24 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Assam floods

The flood situation in Assam showed marginal improvement on Saturday, though the disaster continued to impact more than 6.54 lakh people across six districts. Four more deaths were reported during the day, taking the total number of fatalities in this year’s floods to 66.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three of the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, while one person lost their life in Charaideo.

The number of affected people declined from over 7.05 lakh across nine districts on Friday to 6,54,800 across six districts on Saturday, indicating a gradual improvement in the overall situation.

Sivasagar remains the worst-hit district

Among the affected districts, Sivasagar continues to be the worst hit, with nearly 2.9 lakh people impacted by the floods. Charaideo follows with around 1.9 lakh affected residents, while more than 1.3 lakh people remain affected in Jorhat.

The other districts still facing flood-related challenges are Dibrugarh, Golaghat and Nagaon.

Relief operations continue across affected areas

The ASDMA said the state administration is operating 274 relief camps and aid distribution centres across the affected districts. Around 18,902 displaced people are currently taking shelter at these facilities.

The latest daily bulletin also stated that floodwaters have inundated 810 villages across the state, while 34,970.8 hectares of agricultural land have suffered damage.

Rivers flowing above danger level

The floods have also damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in several areas.

Authorities said the Dikhou River in Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level, and officials continue to closely monitor the situation.

Continue Reading

India News

UP Government forms new SIT led by 3 IPS officers to probe Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a new SIT led by three IPS officers to investigate the alleged Ram Temple donation theft case in Ayodhya following Supreme Court directions.

Published

24 hours ago

on

July 26, 2026

By

Ram Mandir

The Uttar Pradesh government has reconstituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IG Kiran S, with DIG Somen Verma and SSP Dr Gaurav Grover as members, to investigate the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. 

The move comes after directions from the Supreme Court, which sought a reconstituted investigation team to ensure an independent and comprehensive probe into the allegations.

The newly formed SIT is expected to continue the investigation and submit a status report before the Supreme Court on July 27.

Senior IPS officers to lead the probe

According to the state government, the investigation will now be supervised by senior IPS officers.  The revamped SIT has been tasked with examining all aspects of the alleged embezzlement of temple donations and carrying the investigation forward.

The Supreme Court had observed that criminal investigations and technical examination of theft-related cases are more effectively handled by experienced police officers, leading to the reconstitution of the SIT under senior IPS leadership.

Probe to continue under court supervision

The case relates to the alleged embezzlement of offerings (chadhava) donated by devotees at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court is monitoring the investigation and will review the SIT’s status report at the next hearing.

Authorities are expected to continue examining evidence collected during the earlier stages of the investigation as the newly constituted SIT proceeds with the case.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com