Ramesh Chennithala pitches for Rahul's elevation as Cong chief

Kochi: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday made a strong pitch for Rahul Gandhi's elevation as Congress chief and said the party would make a comeback under his leadership.

"The general opinion in the Congress party is that Rahul Gandhi should become the AICC President. We all share the same view that he should lead the party," the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly told reporters here.

While addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club, Chennithala, a known Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, said the Congress would fight 2019 Lok Sabha polls under Rahul's leadership.

"Congress will go ahead under his leadership. We will fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls under his leadership. We are sure that the party will make a comeback under his leadership," he said when asked whether the elevation of Rahul as AICC Chief would help the Congress win elections.

Chennithala's statement comes a week after senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi is the de facto Congress chief, "but he should become de jure" and make the party battle-ready without waiting for anti-incumbency to build up against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When it was pointed out that many top leaders are quitting party in several states,Chennithala said "some people have resigned", but appealed to five-time Mumbai lawmaker Gurudas Kamat to withdraw his decision to quit politics.

Recalling his association with Kamat during his Youth Congress days in the 1980s,the senior Congress leader said, "I succeeded him as the national president of the Youth Congress. I hope that Kamat will reconsider his decision".