Rahul Gandhi elevation this year, not UP face

In a poster released by the Congress (left), party vice-president Rahul Gandhi is shown as a cop and named “Jan Rakshak”. It also shows UP CM Akhilesh Yadav as a protecter of riots and criminals and BSP chief Mayawati as having headed a government of scams.

The Congress is expecting Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as the party chief to take place this year. It reiterated this view at a time when poll strategist Prashant Kishor reportedly wants the Gandhi scion to be the Congress’ “face” in the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls against BSP chief Mayawati, CM and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and the BJP.

Responding to questions on this issue, senior party leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh said: “I have no idea what Prashant Kishor said but we all expect Rahul Gandhi to be the Congress president in 2016.”

“Rahul Gandhi is MP from Amethi and vice-president of the Congress. We all expect Gandhi to be president of the Congress in 2016,” Mr Ramesh said at the AICC briefing.

He was responding to questions about reports that Mr Kishor has suggested that Mr Gandhi should be made the party’s face in the 2017 UP Assembly elections.

The reports, quoting unnamed sources, had said that Mr Kishor feels the Congress can come back to power in 2019 in the Hindi heartland by projecting the Congress vice-president and if people start believing that he can lead them to victory in an election.

The report added that Mr Kishor feels that UP is the best place to start the experiment.

At the same time, the report also said if Rahul does not give his consent, then Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s name be propped in UP.

Mr Ramesh expressed ignorance on the possibility of Priyanka as the CM candidate. “I have no knowledge.”

Reports earlier had said Mr Rahul Gandhi’s supporters are pitching for his takeover as party chief sooner than later. The organisational elections too have been postponed for the purpose. He is running the organisation, touring across the country and addressing more election meetings than party chief Sonia Gandhi, insiders pointed out. Mr Gandhi was made party vice-president at the CWC meeting held after the chintan shivir in Jaipur in January 2013.

Talk is that there are likely to be changes in the Uttar Pradesh Congress this month. Nirmal Khatri is the PCC chief for the last few years while Pradip Mathur is the CLP leader.

But AICC officials on Monday ruled out change in the Uttar Pradesh Congress saying party candidates for the Assembly polls would be decided by the party chief Sonia Gandhi ,Mr Rahul Gandhi and the CEC and by Mr Prashant Kishor.

“ He (Prashkant Kishor) is giving inputs, helping the party but he can’t be the camapigner.No PCC chief can make a miracle in UP in the next ten months,” they said.