Congress MP wants Priyanka Gandhi as Congress president. He explains why

Congress MP Abdul Khaleque on Wednesday urged Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to take over as the party president, stating that as the daughter-in-law of the Vadras, she is no longer a direct member of the Gandhi family.

The MP’s remarks came amid a massive leadership crisis in Rajasthan after chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would contest for the Congress president’s post. Gehlot earlier had said that Rahul Gandhi told him “no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party president”. Meanwhile, several Congress veterans’ names are cropping up for the top post election to which is set to be held soon.

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In a tweet, the Congress MP from Barpeta said, "As Shri Rahul Gandhi is denying to become @INCIndia President again, I consider @priyankagandhi as best candidate."

"Being daughter in law of Vadra family, she is no more member of Gandhi family as per Indian tradition," he said.

Senior Congress politician Shashi Tharoor was among the firsts to declare his candidature for the post election to which is being held after more than two decades. However it is still unclear who would be his electoral adversary.

If elected, Gehlot would have to leave the CM chair under the 'one man, one post' rule of the party. The buzz over the likely successor of Rajasthan CM has unfolded the crisis with a group of Gehlot loyalists submitting their resignation.

The process for filing nominations for Congress presidential elections will end on September 30 and the results are likely to be declared on October 19.

Meanwhile, three close aides and key loyalists of Gehlot were issued notices on Tuesday for indiscipline after AICC observers submitted their report to Congress president Sonia Gandhi regarding the developments in Rajasthan, and asked them to explain within 10 days why action should not be initiated against them.

The three leaders- Shanti Dhariwal, RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore and Congress chief whip in the Assembly Mahesh Joshi- were blamed for Sunday's drama when a majority of Congress MLAs, loyal to Gehlot, held a parallel meeting at a minister's residence when a Congress Legislature Party meeting had been convened at the chief minister's house.