Rahul may be Gen Secy, Organisation

The Congress leadership is learnt to be veering around to the idea of appointing Rahul Gandhi AICC general secretary in charge of Organisation, even as a group of MPs has urged party chief Sonia Gandhi to make him Leader of the House in Lok Sabha, a post vacated by Pranab Mukherjee.

Congress sources said Rahul as general secretary in charge of Organisation will have the authority to intervene in party affairs in any state. Given that the party's circulars, guidelines and even appointments are all issued under the signature of general secretary in charge of Organisation, Rahul will have the "whole sway of authority" in terms of his direct role in the decision-making process.

The party leadership was earlier weighing other options of appointing him as working president or vice-president of the party but these options did not find much favour given the fact that in the past these posts were created when party presidents were not active.

While Indira Gandhi had appointed Kamlapati Tripathi as working president, sources pointed out that it was necessitated because she was the Prime Minister and could not devote enough time to party affairs. For the same reason, Rajiv Gandhi had appointed Arjun Singh as party vice-president. Sitaram Kesri appointed Jitendra Prasada, but that was to "wean him away" from Sharad Pawar faction in the party then, said sources.

"When Soniaji is back in the pink of health and devoting full time to party affairs, it doesn't make any sense to appoint a working president or vice-president. Besides, in his capacity as general secretary (Organisation), Rahul would get the required grooming before eventually moving up to the top post," a senior Congress leader told The Indian Express. A section of the party is also uneasy about the idea of mother and son as president and vice-president, which, they feel, will send out a "wrong message".

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