Now once that it closed, it is the family themselves who can decide if they want to change that position. After all, who was expressing this idea in the national movement? It was the Congress party.He has been involved in the day-to-day activities of the party," Venugopal told media in Keralas Alappuzha..."Many people close to power are saying that this is a country of the Hindus, for the Hindus. So if somebody like Goa opposition leader leaves with most of the party, someone should be there to stop, persuade, argue or to do something."Tharoor said that if the Gandhi family says that they dont want to continue the leadership then the party has to respect it.Backing Tharoor, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said Priyanka Gandhi will be a "perfect choice" for the post of party president. I want my party to stay strong and for us to be strong we need leadership. I hope that she would throw her hat in the ring.In his interview to ANI, Tharoor said, "Sadly, it more than two months since Rahul Gandhi announced his resignation first."He lauded Congress leader D K Shivkumar for putting up a brave fight in Karnataka.Talking about the role of Rahul Gandhi in the party, he said, "Congress partys DNA is inextricably tied with the DNA of Nehru-Gandhi family. We must have a leader and the leader must work.his views, his influence in many ways is a sort of conscience keeper. Too many voters have turned away in recent years and that is not good.it has been doing it for 70 years.. So the Congress party has to wake up and do its duty to India and Indian democracy," said Tharoor.""That is the ideology Rahul Gandhi is talking about," he added."Priyanka will be a perfect choice to take over the party reins but it all depends on the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which alone is authorised to make a decision in the matter," Singh added. Then as we know that it was initially not accepted but then he made it very clear that they had no choice and he was walking out. In fact, when I was asked some days ago, I had said that Priyanka Gandhi has the charisma, she has the ability and many party workers admire her."Shashi Tharoor has expressed the sentiments of a common Congressman."Demanding that someone should be given authority to take decisions, Tharoor said, "First thing is to appoint an interim president or authorise someone to take decisions..""At the same time, its important to open up the process because right now, a lot of people are losing faith in us because of what has happened. Not only because we have a national footprint but also because we represent very important principles in Indian democracy.

This is not good for a party like us. If they change, it would be welcomed in the party.""I believe in democracy, we should not be scared of elections. We are the one opposition party that this democracy needs. It is the absence of determination that it frustrating many people in the party," he stressed. It is, however, not an orphaned scenario.. We want a leader to emerge who will galvanise the workers and inspire the voters. The Congress president has stepped down... I think the leader will have to be initially an interim president. When he (Rahul) did that, he offered to run the office until a replacement was found..Tharoor said that Congress is an opposition party which this democracy needs because it represents "very important principles.New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday stoked a fresh debate over leadership in the Congress, saying the delay in choosing a new president was giving an impression of "drift and indecision" which cannot be allowed to drag on. That is something the Congress party is very-very well placed.Criticising the ruling BJP, the Congress leader said, "As long as the ruling element continues to condone or encourage bigoted behaviour, it becomes indispensable that there is a voice which says there is another way. This is why I think India and Indian democracy need the Congress party. It has to act.Responding to Tharoors concerns, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the party is not orphaned. If awning they would open up the process, name interim president, dissolve the working committee, call for elections within a reasonable period of time, in which candidates may come forward, and then ask AICC which is 1,000 people or PCC of roughly 10,000 people to actually have an election," he added.

That this is not India that Mahatma Gandhi fought to free.""But as we know, it is Rahul Gandhi himself who had said that no member of his family should lead. So, whatever role he takes or doesnt take, even if he takes no position. Even she would gain from an electoral process within the party. It will end the moment a quick, efficient decision is taken and then I believe a democratic process should take place that will open up the election to other candidates.Asked about the chances of a non-Gandhi becoming the Congress president, he said, "Personally, I have not said that there should be a non-Gandhi."But there was no visible national leader to back him. Who are they going to try and take next? Maybe they will come to Madhya Pradesh.. Are we going to sit quietly and indifferently while this goes on? No."The Thiruvananthapuram MP said, "What we are seeing is a level of disarray which is not worthy of a grand national party that we are. But if they dont change, the party cant wait. In our democracy, we must offer a robust defence of the idea of an inclusive India. When you speak of the inclusive idea of India, it is not just a slogan, it is a different way of looking at India from those who would advocate a Hindu Rashtra," he felt.