Congress Lok Sabha MPs on Saturday raised the demand for Rahul Gandhi's return as party chief. They made the demand at a virtual meeting called by Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss current political developments.
Sources said several party MPs made the demand at the meeting.
They included Kerala MPs Kodikunnil Suresh and Anto Antony, Mckam Tagore (Tamil Nadu), Gaurav Gogoi, and Abdul Khaleque (Assam), Mohammad Jawed (Bihar) and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka (Odisha).
Rahul Gandhi, who represents Wayanad in Kerala and was present at the meeting, did not speak when the demand was made.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had made the demand for Rahul Gandhi's return to the post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting last month.
Senior leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh also said in tweets on Saturday that real issue that the "Congress party must urgently address is to revive party institutions - from booth level to the All India Congress Committee (AICC)."
"This is the crux of the matter and this is the challenge before Soniaji Rahulji and Priyankaji. I am certain they would do it. The whole Congress party, young old everyone stands behind you and are ready to make whatever sacrifice you demand. So Rahulji please lead," Singh said.
Despite the growing demands, Rahul Gandhi has indicated he may not return to the post anytime soon.
"You, please read my letter that I wrote one year ago on that issue," Gandhi had said last month in response to a question about his taking the post again.
Rahul Gandhi had resigned as party chief after Congress debacle in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sonia Gandhi was elected as interim chief on August 10 last year.
The CWC is expected to meet soon and demands may again be made for Rahul Gandhi to take over as party chief. If he does not agree, the party is expected to urge Sonia Gandhi to continue as interim chief.
Rahul Gandhi has been leading the party's attack against the Narendra Modi government on a range of issues including its handling of COVID-19 situation, border tensions with China and the rise in the price of petroleum prices.
These issues also came up for discussion during Sonia Gandhi's meeting with Lok Sabha MPs, sources said.
( With inputs from ANI )