Sonia Gandhi speaks as party president Rahul Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh look on, at the Congress Work... Read More

NEW DELHI: Congress on Sunday pitched for Rahul Gandhi as the opposition’s PM candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections even as the party underlined that it would cobble a broad coalition of like-minded parties to dislodge BJP from power.

After over four hours of brainstorming by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Congress shed all political inhibitions to argue that Rahul should lead the opposition alliance. The Rahul-for-PM mention dismisses any concern that it may upset “like-minded parties” whom Congress is wooing.

Also, there are parties opposed to BJP, which do not want to be seen as standing with Congress.

Reverse countdown of Modi govt has begun, says Sonia

Briefing reporters on the CWC’s deliberations, AICC leaders Ashok Gehlot and Randeep Surjewala said, “Congress fights the largest number of seats in the country. Once Congress becomes the single-largest party touching the magic figure of 200 or more, naturally Congress will be leading with whoever wants to come and walk hand-in-hand. Naturally, Congress president will be the only face to be projected.”

The issue did not figure in the CWC but came in response to a query at the press conference. The reply suggested that while the decision on leadership would be left for after polls, Congress’s campaign would leave little doubt on its PM candidate.

The blunt answer also saw the party set a benchmark of sorts with 200 seats, a big ask given its meagre 2014 tally of 44 MPs in Lok Sabha.

The figure appeared to reflect the recognition that it would need a big score to settle the intractable leadership issue with allies, given the competing ambitions of many regional satraps from the ‘secular’ ranks.

The Congress aggression came two days after Rahul’s acerbic attack on Modi during the debate on the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha. The Congress chief ’s attempt in making it a “Modi vs Rahul” clash appeared to stem from the calculation that it would plant him at the head of the opposition camp.

Interestingly, Congress appeared to pay no heed to PM Modi’s bid to project Rahul as “power hungry” — a claim Modi made during the Karnataka poll campaign after Rahul told reporters he would become the PM if Congress had the numbers.

At the CWC meeting, Rahul and Sonia, besides other young and senior leaders, stressed the need to stitch an opposition bloc for Lok Sabha polls. Sonia called for a “pragmatic approach” to alliances.

Sonia cautioned about the “dangerous regime” and “the reign of despair and fear” from which the country had to be rescued. She said Modi’s rhetoric reflected his desperation “that reverse countdown of Modi government” had begun.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said Congress should be the pivot of alliance around which other parties coalesce.

