Right time for Rahul to take over, Captain Amarinder says

PATIALA: Around two months after he reportedly remarked that All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi needs a reality check and that “reality hasn’t yet sunk in for Rahul”, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday took a u-turn on the issue and said that time had come for Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the party.
Referring to stunning success of the Grand Alliance in Bihar elections, the former Punjab CM, who had dared to express his reservation about Rahul’s calibre to lead country’s oldest political party in September, said this while underscoring that Rahul had an “important contribution” during the Bihar elections that reversed the BJP tide. Congress was part of three- party Grand Alliance apart from Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Talking to reporters during National Press Day celebrations here today, Capt Amarinder said, Rahul had proved his leadership skills in Bihar where not only did the Congress make massive improvements over the 2010 tally, but also made immense contribution to the grand alliance’s impressive victory.
Replying to a specific question about Rahul Gandhi taking over the reins of the party, he said, “Of course time has come for him to take the lead.” He pointed out Rahul’s role in cementing together of the Grand Alliance and its eventual impressive win in Bihar was being understated.
“Congress has a state wide presence in Bihar with significant percentage of votes in all the constituencies. The entire Congress vote was transferred to the Grand Alliance thanks to the active role Rahul played there. The result is before all of us and Rahul duly deserves the credit for the same,” he remarked.
In September, when Capt. Amarinder was organizing rallies across Punjab, tussle between Amarinder and PPCC President Pratap Singh Bajwa-led faction had reached at its peak. During that period, Amarinder, while strongly demanding that Congress high command should replace PPCC President, had also questioned leadership skills of Rahul Gandhi and maintained that his mother Sonia Gandhi should continue to lead the party.
However, his remarks on Monday indicated that he and Congress high command had clinched the issues that was rattling Punjab congress for the past some time.