Who Can Replace Rahul Gandhi As Congress President? From Captain Amarinder Singh to Shashi Tharoor, Here Are Names Doing The Rounds After Party's Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Debacle

Congress is dealing with a huge crisis of resignations after its embarrassing defeat in Lok Sabha Elections 2019. There have been hectic parleys in the Congress corridors after party president Rahul Gandhi reportedly offered to quit from his post taking responsibility for the debacle. Meanwhile, a campaign of sorts has begun on social media as well as political circles to have a non-Gandhi President for the Congress party.  A few names like Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor are doing the rounds after Rahul Gandhi, adamant on resigning, asked his party to look for his replacement. CWC Meeting in 4 Days to Choose Next Congress President as Rahul Gandhi Is Firm on Quitting: Reports.

Rahul Gandhi took over as Congress President in 2017, succeeding his mother Sonia Gandhi. A year after he took over, the Congress came to power in four states - Karnataka (in alliance with JDS), Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. However, the party ended up performing equally bad in the General Elections in the same states. As per reports, at a Congress Working Committee Meet, emotions ran high after Gandhi offered to quit. It is being said that party leaders are trying to convince him to not resign, he is adamant on resigning. As the Congress party looks for a new President, here's a look at some names doing the rounds:

Captain Amarinder Singh

Punjab Chief Minister

Captain Amarinder Singh brought victory to the Congress party in Punjab at a time when there was a strong Narendra Modi wave. Captain Singh has led the state effectively enough since then to ensure Congress had an upper hand in the state even in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 where the BJP made a sweep in other states. From Pulwama Attack to IAF Balakot Strike And Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's Return, Only 2 Politicians Have Acted Sane And Apolitical.

Even though the Punjab Chief Minister had clearly stated in 2017 that he won't fight any more elections, he has strong support within the media, political circles as well as social media. At a time when the country is seeing the nationalism narrative at its peak, Captain Singh could be the Congress party's hope as far as catering to that very narrative is concerned. Politically, Captain Singh has always spoken of having cordial relations with the Modi government at the Centre, saying that as a responsible Chief Minister he would work with the central government. Over the past few days, Captain Singh has managed to strike all the right chords, even with those who are strong critics of the Congress party. Most importantly, Captain Singh has all the political experience to lead a political party.

Shashi Tharoor

Thiruvananthapuram MP

Another name being circulated as Rahul Gandhi's probable replacement as Congress President. At a time when the biggest of the Congress names lost, Tharoor won from the Thiruvananthapuram Parliamentary seat, with an improved margin than the last two elections. He said that he felt like the batsman who scored a century but his team lost the match. Tharoor has been seen as a popular politician, not just in Indian but also international political circles. His constant criticism of the British for their rule in India and knowledge of the Indian history makes him a leader who the Indian population connects with.

However, some things that go against Tharoor are the charges against him in the Sunanda Pushkar death case and his disconnect with the rural masses. Tharoor has been seen as a leader who connects well with the English speaking population of the country. In the Hindi belt, where the BJP and Narendra Modi connect directly with the voter, Tharoor could be on the backfoot. However, with the experience that he has in politics and the diplomacy he holds in his conduct, Tharoor is also one of the "non-Gandhi" faces who could be in the race to lead the Congress.

Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister

There's no denying the fact that Pilot deserves a major portion of the credit for the Congress party's victory in the Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018. However, when it came to being made the Chief Minister of the state, Ashok Gehlot was given preference over Pilot and the latter was made the Deputy CM. Today, tables have turned. With the Congress performing miserably in Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, the onus is on Gehlot, who has offered to resign as the state Congress chief. Meanwhile, Pilot has the support of a bigger faction in the party as a leader who has the ability to strike a chord with both the urban as well as the rural masses.

Priyanka Gandhi

Congress General Secretary

Some Congress workers are running a campaign of sorts to have Priyanka Gandhi play a leadership role in the party. However, at a time when clamour is high for a "non-Gandhi" Congress President, bringing Priyanka for the top job could go against the party. Another factor that goes against her is lack of experience as a politician. It was only one month before the Lok Sabha elections 2019 that she formally stepped into politics.

Senior leaders of the Congress will be meeting Rahul Gandhi today to discuss the future of the party. Reports say that the party is likely to decide on Gandhi's replacement over the next four days. It remains to be seen if any of the above faces will be able to revive the Congress party.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 28, 2019 12:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).