Punjab CM Amarinder Singh says this is not the time to challenge Gandhi family leadership

“The move by these Congress leaders to demand a rehaul of the party at this critical juncture would be detrimental to its interests, and the interests of the nation,” he said.

“What the Congress needs is a leadership that is acceptable not just to a few but to the entire party, through its rank and file, and the nation at large,” he said, adding that the Gandhis were the right fit for this role.

“Sonia Gandhi should continue to helm the Congress as long as she wants,” he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi should thereafter take over as he is fully competent to lead the party.

Ahead of the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, different voices have emerged within the party with one section comprising sitting MPs and former ministers demanding a collective leadership, while another group has sought the return of Rahul Gandhi to the helm.

Some Congress leaders, including ex-ministers, have written to party president Sonia Gandhi for the overhaul of the organisational structure and changes to the leadership.

 The letter by former ministers and some MPs was believed to have been written a few weeks ago and sets the stage for a stormy Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday where issues flagged by dissenters are expected to be discussed and debated.

The Punjab CM said India is currently facing not just external dangers from across the border but also internal threats to its federal structure, adding that a unified Congress alone could protect the country and its people.

Terming the demand for a leadership change as “untenable”, Singh noted the immense contribution of the Gandhi family to the country’s progress since it achieved freedom from the British rule.

The Chief Minister pointed out that there was not a single village in India which did not have a Congress member to carry forward its ideology of upholding the constitutional principles, rights and freedoms.

He said the credit for that went to the Gandhis, without whose selfless commitment, dedication and unimaginable sacrifices, the party would not have stood like a rock in the path of the BJP and its “Sanghi ambitions” to divide the country on the lines of caste and religion.

At a time when the very bedrock of India’s constitutional strength is under threat, it is important for every Congress man and woman to stand firmly and unitedly behind the Gandhis, who had held the party together all these decades and could continue to do so, he said.

“There is currently no leader in the Congress who could give the party that kind of strong leadership,” he said, urging one and all to put the interests of the party and the nation above their own.

“The Gandhis were the only universally recognisable face of the Congress, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” the Chief Minister stressed, pointing out that the five generations that had served the country since the pre-Independence times had sacrificed their lives for the nation.

“Electoral defeats could not be the yardstick for the leadership change,” he said, adding that just because the Congress was down at the moment did not mean the Gandhis’ contribution to its growth could or should be undermined.

Amarinder Singh warned that any move to divide or destabilise the party would give advantage to the dictatorial forces that are seeking to trample the ideals on which our founding fathers had built modern India, that is respected by the world today.“The destruction of those ideals would trigger the devastation not just of the Congress but India as a whole,” he cautioned.

Donald Trump brings up USAID again, says…

23-02-2025

BJP peddling 'fake news' from America, i…

23-02-2025

Congress has accused BJP of spreading fake news by claiming that USAID funds intended for India were used for voter turnout. They also criticized BJP for remaining silent on US...

Deported by US to Panama, 12 illegal mig…

23-02-2025

A group of 12 undocumented Indian immigrants deported from the US to Panama reached Delhi, facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration. This comes after the deportation of 332 others...

'Lean cushion', not 'broken seat', behin…

23-02-2025

Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan experienced discomfort on an Air India flight due to a sunken seat. Engineers clarified the seat was not broken but had lean cushioning. Chouhan...

FinMin: India was working on 7 projects …

23-02-2025

India has been implementing seven projects worth $750 million in collaboration with USAID. The focus is on agriculture, climate adaptation, water and sanitation, renewable energy, health, and disaster management. Ongoing...

AICC to discuss fight against BJP 'anti-…

23-02-2025

Congress is set to hold its AICC session in Ahmedabad on April 8 and 9, focusing on the BJP's 'anti-people' policies and attacks on the Constitution. Party leaders including Mallikarjun...

Don’t reveal bills before introduction: …

23-02-2025

Reduce oil intake, fight obesity, PM Mod…

23-02-2025

PM Narendra Modi urged Indians to reduce their monthly edible oil consumption by 10% to combat obesity, highlighting its role in causing health issues. He shared messages from Olympic medallist...

Centre bans manufacture and export of 2 …

23-02-2025

Maharashtra's Aveo Pharmaceuticals was raided by state and central drug inspectors following a BBC documentary exposing their illegal export of unlicensed, addictive opioid pills to West Africa, leading to halted...

‘Virat victory’: Political leaders hail …

23-02-2025

Bomb threat: American Airlines New York-…

23-02-2025

Homemakers to changemakers: Women entrep…

23-02-2025

In rural Bihar, women have become agri-entrepreneurs, supporting farmers with climate-resilient farming techniques and sustainable practices. Initiatives like drone-based irrigation and organic fertilisers are transforming communities, helped by the state-level...