New Delhi: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has said that the Congress party has unanimously decided to elevate Rahul Gandhi as its president as it needs a leader in place of Sonia Gandhi who faces health issues.
Asked by NDTV if Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi should be elevated as party chief or there should be a new face, Lal Thanhawla said: "There are various types of leaders. Some leaders are made, some leaders are imposed. Rahul Gandhi is not a willing politician but the party needs a strong, good leadership.
"Unfortunately, Sonia madam has become a little unhealthy… Therefore, the Congress people wanted a leader to lead the party. Now, it is a unanimous choice of Congress leaders and the Congress masses to elevate Rahulji as a leader and for the leadership."
Rahul Gandhi is expected to be elevated as party chief at the culmination of Congress' organisational election later this month.
Lal Thanhawla, a five-time Chief Minister, said that the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) has been formed in the northeast under the leadership of the BJP but the party will find the going tough in the assembly polls next year in the state which is being ruled successively by the Congress for the past nine years.
"Because of their misdeeds, the NDA government will face a very tough time in the elections," he said.
Asked about the Congress not performing well in most of the elections held after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Lal Thanhawla said the Congress had faced anti-incumbency as it had ruled at the Centre for many years.
"Not only in India, not only in Mizoram, but other parts of the world also, if a single party rules for a long time, it generates anti-incumbency phenomenon among people," he said.