Sonia Gandhi is fit and Rahul will have to wait. That's the kind of message the Congress gave out on Tuesday to end two months of speculation on the Congress scion getting a bigger role in the party anytime soon.
The party hinted that, as of now, there was no need for a formal position for general secretary Rahul - vis-a-vis president or working president. It indicated that Sonia is fit enough to lead the party and rubbished reports of Rahul becoming the party chief though keeping a window open for his future coronation.
The party's media department chairperson and general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, officially commenting for the first time on the speculation, said Sonia will decide what has to be done and when.
Asked if the party wants a larger role for Rahul, Dwivedi said: "There is no suspense about it. He has a role. And in natural course his role will go on increasing. This is what Congressmen want. This in their opinion is natural."
Stating that Sonia was there to lead the party, Dwivedi said he "just could not speculate" on the timeline within which Rahul would be given a formal position in the party.
When a reporter questioned him regarding media reports about Sonia's "diminishing role" in the party, he shot back saying: "This is a very uncharitable question."
Replying to another question on whether Sonia would be travelling abroad for treatment again, he said: "Total rubbish. I don't even consider it worth a response."
When asked if Sonia was physically fit enough to go to Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the party, Dwivedi trashing the innuendo of the question said Sonia was fit enough and will be going to Uttrakhand on Wednesday to attend a function.
Sources said if Sonia decides to step down in favour of Rahul, an AICC session has to be convened to appoint him as party chief.
However, there would be no such need for a party session if he were to be appointed working president. In such a case, the president can make an announcement as per the party constitution and later get an endorsement from the Congress Working Committee.
On the question of Priyanka Gandhi joining politics, Dwivedi remarked: "They themselves decide who in the family has to do what and right now Rahul is in politics."
Dwivedi's remarks comes days after another party general secretary Digvijaya Singh had said Rahul has to come in the mainstream.
"Right now he is looking only after the Youth Congress and the student wing of the party. I feel now he has to look after us"
all," Digvijaya had said.
all," Digvijaya had said.
Considered close to Rahul, Digvijaya is the party in-charge of pollbound UP, where Rahul is trying hard to revive the party in the 2012 Assembly elections.
The speculation about Rahul's larger role gained a momentum since Sonia underwent a surgery in the US. Rahul was also part of the four-member committee appointed by Sonia to look after Congress affairs during her absence. The other three were defence minister A. K. Antony, political secretary to Sonia, Ahmed Patel and Janardan Dwivedi.
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