Rahul Is Still Not Mature, His Age Does Not Allow Him To Be Mature: Sheila Dikshit

Rahul Gandhi is not mature yet and should be given more time, said senior Congress leader and former Delhi chief minister, Sheila Dikshit, in an interview with Times of India journalist Ambika Pandit. She made this comment while talking about the recent civic body elections and the ongoing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

“And please remember Rahul is still not mature, his age does not allow him to be mature. He is what... in his forties. Please give him time,” Dikshit said when asked why the Congress is failing despite Rahul’s aggressive campaigning.

When asked how much time Rahul needs, she contradicted her previous remark, saying that the 46-year-old leader has ‘come a long way’ and the ‘opportunity’ to become prime minister ‘will come later’. He is ‘natural,’ she said.

On the question of Rahul taking over as Congress president, she said that “it should happen this year”.

“The party needs changes in leadership on posts that have been occupied for decades. The whole thing is being kept on hold waiting for Rahul, and this should happen after these elections are over,” Dikshit added.

But if the vice-president is still not mature, should he be promoted to the post of president? Only the Congress can answer this question.

About the assembly elections in UP and the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, she said ‘Rahul and Akhilesh campaigning together has had a positive impact’.

“We believe Muslims are coming out very strongly with this alliance and of course the Yadavs will be there,” Dikshit said.