NEW DELHI, Jan 16 � Rahul Gandhi will not be Congress party�s nominee for Prime Ministership in the April-May Lok Sabha polls but will lead the election campaign, the party announced today putting at rest all speculation about his role, reports PTI.
The decision was taken at the two-hour meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee brushing aside an overwhelming demand for anointing him the PM nominee ahead of the polls.
Addressing those who voiced the clamour for declaration of Rahul as PM candidate, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said there is no tradition in the party to declare a PM candidate before polls.
The demand for Rahul to be made PM candidate was raised by Kerala PCC chief Ramesh Chennithala and got instant support from a host of leaders including B K Hari Prasad, Gurudas Kamat, Ghulam Nabi Azad and youth Congress chief Rajiv Satav.
Soon after the CWC meeting began, Chennithala made a strong pitch to declare Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate saying �time has now come to do it� and reasoned this will enthuse the youth and will be beneficial for Congress in the changed demographic scenario.
As the leaders made a common chorus to name Rahul as PM pick, Sonia Gandhi intervened saying why should the party name a PM candidate before polls when there is no such precedent.
�This meeting of the AICC delcares that 2014 election campaign will be led by Rahul Gandhi,� the CWC decided adding the line in the omnibus draft resolution which will come before the AICC meeting tomorrow for approval.
Rahul has been entrusted to lead the campaign a year after he was made the party Vice President in the brain storming session at Jaipur in January last.
