You will know when Rahul is elevated: Sonia

 Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, February 26

Amid strong speculation of a possible elevation of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi as party president in near future, incumbent chief Sonia Gandhi today said everyone would know of the move when it happens.

"You will know when it happens," Sonia said when asked in Parliament today whether there were plans to elevate Rahul Gandhi as Congress president in the upcoming AICC session this April.

Officially, the Congress played along the speculation voicing Sonia's line: Wait and see. Party spokesperson Rajeev Gowda didn't outright deny talks of Rahul's elevation, though he quoted former Congress chief K Kamaraj's favourite take, "Let us wait and see".

The Congress denied differences of opinion between Sonia and Rahul, saying the duo was running the party cohesively and there was no rift between them. In doing so, the party sent a signal that whatever happens in the future would have the complete consent of Sonia and Rahul. So far as the talk of Rahul's elevation goes, the seniors are clearly divided. Some like Digvijay Singh and Jairam Ramesh are of the view that the party should elevate Rahul Gandhi and let him raise his own team to lead the Congress in the next Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This section feels it is unfair to blame Rahul for 

the party's decimation when his decisions are half-heartedly implemented.

"Rahul Gandhi can take up as party president now. The time is ripe. He will have enough time to build his team and deliver," said a young member of Rahul's team saying the elevation of Rahul was now imminent.

This is not the first time speculation around Rahul's appointment as party president has become rife. Similar possibilities preceded the AICC Session of January 17, 2014 on the eve of Lok Sabha elections. All Rahul was made at the time was — co-chairman of the Congress' campaign committee for the Lok Sabha with Sonia as chairperson.