Sonia should resign to save Congress: Venkataswamy

Congress Working Committee member G Venkataswamy on Tuesday knocked the sycophancy out of his party leadership by demanding that party president Sonia Gandhi resigns from her post immediately.

Talking to media persons at his residence, the senior Congress leader stated that he foresaw no life in the party if Ms Gandhi continues in her post.

Mr Venkataswamy, popularly known as ‘Kaka’, stated that the popularity of the Congress was waning and it has now reached a nadir, with managing to remain in power in only five states out of the 29 states in the country. The party’s popularity was dwindling under the Ms Gandhi’s leadership, he opined.

The senior leader also predicted that the Congress will be wiped out from the country if she continues as party president.

Mr Venkataswamy, whose disenchantment against Ms Gandhi is well known, especially after his candidature for the President’s post was given a go-by and Ms Pratibha Patil was preferred, stated that the Congress party needs a person from Indian soil to be elected to such a high post. This would protect the interests of party, he said.

Taking strong objection for the proposed alliance between the Congress and the Praja Rajyam Party, Mr Venkataswamy said that the party High Command should have informed the seniors, particularly from Andhra Pradesh before taking any steps on the issue. He said that the High Command has acted hastily on the issue.

The senior politician added that the High Command has insulted other senior leaders by not taking their views on the alliance.

“What was the need for the Congress to seek alliance with a party such as the PRP, especially when it enjoys a majority,” Mr Venkataswamy questioned. The Congress, which has 125 years of history behind it, should not pamper the PRP for an alliance, he pointed out.

Referring to Union Defence Minister AK Antony calling on PRP chief K Chiranjeevi at his residence, Mr Venkataswamy said that this was not proper.

Such decisions were hampering the growth of the Congress across the country, he stated and cited the recent election results in Bihar where the party had a poor showing.

Mr Venkataswamy opined that the people’s representatives have won in the name of the Congress party but not on the name of Sonia Gandhi.

He further opined that the rampant corruption at the Centre and State will be contained only if Ms Gandhi resigns from her post of party president. 

Stating that he would not quit the party under any circumstances, Mr Venkataswamy said that no one has the power to take action against him or his family members. I have been a Congress member right from the times of former prime ministers Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, he said.

Mr Venkataswamy revealed that he had sought Ms Gandhi’s appointment thrice, but she had no time to meet him.

The senior leader further called upon Congress leaders from Telangana to open their eyes on the latest political situation and said that they should resist the proposed alliance with the PRP, an avowedly integrationist party.