Stopping Rahul from leading party will destroy Cong Sena MP

    Mumbai, Aug 30 (PTI) Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on
Sunday said stopping Rahul Gandhi from taking over leadership
of Congresswill lead to "extinction" of the grand old party.
    In his weekly column Rokhthok in the Sena mouthpiece
Saamana, Raut also said Congress lacks a leader who can stand
up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with full might.
    Referring to the letter by 23 Congress leaders to
Sonia Gandhi on having a "full time" leadership that is active
in the field and "visible" in party offices, Raut wondered who
is stopping these leaders from being active.
    "Activeness to stop Rahul Gandhi will be instrumental
in destroying the party and lead to its extinction," Raut
said.
    Having a non-Gandhi as Congress president is a good
idea, but no one in those 23 has that capability, said Raut
whose party, along with Congress and NCP, is a constituent of
the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.
    Referring to regional parties floated by former
Congress leaders, Raut said, "The Congress still exists across
India but with different masks. If these masks are thrown
away, it can emerge as a prominent political party."
    He said Congress veteran late V N Gadgil described the
Congress as an old woman who will never die."Rahul Gandhi has
to decide what to do with the old lady," Raut added. PTI MR GK
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)