New Delhi : Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday expressed his concern over the delay in the appointment of a new Congress president saying that it was giving an impression of “drift and indecision”.
“To my mind, the delay is hurting us. It gives an impression of drift and indecision. Some very well-known names have expressed the same frustration to me. They have chosen not to go public. But my reason to go public is that this cannot be allowed to drag on,” he told ANI.
Tharoor lamented the disarray in the party saying that it it was “not worthy of a grand national party that” Congress is.
“What we are seeing is a level of disarray which is not worthy of a grand national party that we are. 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,” said Tharoor.
When asked the delay in appointment of an interim president, he said, “Sadly, it is more than two months since Rahul Gandhi announced his resignation first. 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. I want my party to stay strong and for us to be a strong party we need leadership. I think the leader will have to be initially an interim president.”
While talking about the chances of a non-Gandhi becoming a Congress president, he said, “Personally, I have not said that there should be a non-Gandhi. In fact, when I was asked some days ago, I had said that Priyanka Gandhi has the charishma , she has the ability and many party workers admire her. I hope that she would throw her hat in the ring. Even she would gain from an electoral process within the party.”
Tharoor said that if Gandhi family says that they don’t want to continue the leadership then the party has to respect it.