A day before Rahul Gandhi formally takes over as Congress president, the party clarified that Sonia Gandhi had retired from the president’s post, not politics.
The Congress’s clarification was prompted by Ms. Gandhi’s comments to reporters in the Parliament complex on Friday morning that she was all set to retire.
No time-frame
Asked about her role in the party after Mr. Gandhi’s elevation, she told reporters “my role now is to retire.” She, however, didn’t indicate a time-frame.
As television channels reported Ms. Gandhi’s comments, the Congress’s communication chief Randeep Surjewala tweeted: “Would sincerely request friends in the media to not rely upon innuendos. Smt. Sonia Gandhi has retired as president of Indian National Congress and not from politics. Her blessings, wisdom and innate commitment to Congress ideology shall always be our guiding light.”
There has been intense speculation as to what role the party will assign Ms. Gandhi once her son takes over.
As party president, she was also heading the Congress Parliamentary Party that decides the party agenda in Parliament. Sources told The Hindu that she had expressed her desire to step down from this post as well.
Post of patron
Congress insiders say the party is likely to create a post of patron for Ms. Gandhi who has served as the longest president of the Congress with 19 years in office.
On December 11, Rahul Gandhi was elected the new party president unopposed. However, the certificate of victory will formally be handed over to him only on Saturday since he was campaigning in Gujarat for the last phase. At the formal function on Saturday, Ms. Gandhi is expected to speak about the challenges and the road ahead for the party as it gears up for the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.
