Days after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said that he was ready to take up executive role in the party, senior leader and former Union minister M Veerappa Moily said that the Gandhi scion will like to emerge as the party president through an internal election process. Moily even hinted that Rahul may assume the charge as early as next month.
Moily also said that Rahul's taking over would be a game-changer for the party. He added that Rahul should immediately take over as Congress president and that will be good for the party and the country as well.
"Everybody (in Congress) feels it is (his elevation) delayed. Now, he (Rahul) is waiting for organisation elections. He would like to emerge as the president of AICC only out of the election process," he said.
The internal election process in states is expected to be completed this month, which would be followed by the one at the AICC level, the former chief minister of Karnataka said.
Asked if he expected Rahul to take over next month, Moily said, "Possibly yes".
On what needs to be done to boost the prospects of the Congress, he said that Rahul Gandhi is doing it and the party leaders will have to address the issues in respect of each of the state, because each state is different from the rest. "So, that requires state-wise strategies not only for the coming state elections but also parliamentary polls in 2019."
He also said that Rahul has a new approach and new method. "...definitely very much rooted with the legacy of the Congress party. It (Rahul becoming Congress president) is a game-changer. Not only game-changer but also Congress is well-rooted in continuity and legacy... with Congress virtues, he has an attitude for change, and he will do that."
On what he wants Rahul to do once he assumes charge, Moily said he has to first thoroughly reshuffle the people who are in-charge of the states, reshuffle immediately within a time-frame, all the state-level organisations right from grass-roots levels. These things will have to be reorganised.
Our policy at the national and state levels, he said, should be reoriented and published so that people think there is always an alternative to the present NDA government.
On the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka, Moily said that the Congress will come out with absolute majority and there is no question of BJP coming back.
Moily further charged the BJP with failure to honour election promises and alleged that the economy and exports have sharply declined.
On the government favouring bringing petroleum products under the ambit of GST, Moily, the former oil minister, indicated that it would have to be done eventually.
That (proposal to bring petrol and diesel under GST) cannot be opposed, he said, adding that it has to be brought under the GST today or tomorrow; instead of bringing it in future they have brought it (proposed now). (But) the manner in which they are hiking the petrol and diesel prices is totally unjustified.
Moily also said that states have been opposing the move right from the beginning as they would lose money if it were to be implemented. But bringing petroleum products under GST would be good for the industrial sector.
