South India voted on Rahul's name, shouldn't resign: TN Cong working president Jayakumar

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) working president Jayakumar on Tuesday asserted that the mandate received by Congress and its allies in South India is a testimony of people's faith in party president Rahul Gandhi and hence, he must not resign respecting their faith.

New Delhi [India], May 28 : Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) working president Jayakumar on Tuesday asserted that the mandate received by Congress and its allies in South India is a testimony of people's faith in party president Rahul Gandhi and hence, he must not resign respecting their faith.

He also informed that they will pass a resolution urging the Congress president to continue on the post.

Speaking to , Jayakumar said, "Though Rahul ji's name was not announced for the post of Prime Minister, our largest ally DMK leader Stalin clearly said that we are going to seek votes in the name of Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister. People have handsomely voted for us and we all won with a large margin in the state. It is a clear indication that people accepted Rahul Gandhi even as Prime Minister of the country."

He, however, refused to comment on the party's abysmal performance in other parts of the country, while indicating that the party's performance in the state that they won in December seems hard to believe.

"In North what has happened I don't want to get into it. We formed government in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. In these states suddenly over few months time, people's heart and mind changed and they voted en-mass for something else, it looks very ridiculous to me", said Jayakumar.

The newly elected MP also asserted that they will be passing a resolution requesting Congress president to take back his resignation.

Jayakumar said, "I don't accept this kind of situation from Southern side, people have voted for us en masse and they have accepted Congress and Rahul Gandhi. Therefore we cannot go and stand in front of people that our leader has resigned because some performance is bad in some part of the country. Tomorrow we are going to pass a resolution to say that Rahul should stand and lead the party. We will come with the resolution and come and meet Rahul Gandhi."

On being asked whether most Congress MP's being from South have any kind of impact, he said, "Definitely Congress party is strong in the South and it must be recognised and regarded."

A few days back on May 25, P Chidambaram got emotional while appealing to Gandhi not to step down from his post, claiming that the party's cadres in the southern states will commit suicide.

During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, all leaders urged Gandhi to continue as the party president, even as Rahul remained firm on his decision to resign, sources said.

Addressing media after the CWC meeting, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Rahul has been authorised to restructure the party following its dismal performance in the recently held general elections.

When party leaders asked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to intervene and dissuade Rahul from resigning, she said it was up to Rahul to decide whether to step down or not, sources added.

However, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was of the view that no decision should be taken in haste. She, sources claimed, also said if Rahul decides to resign, it would mean that he fell into BJP's trap.

While the newly-elected Wayanad MP expressed his intent to discontinue as the party president, sources said he asserted that he would continue to fight for Congress' ideology and work for the party.

When the 48-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family remained adamant on discontinuing as the party president, the CWC leaders rose to oppose his offer stating that he was not the one to be blamed for the party's drubbing.

( With inputs from ANI )