Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's remarks that she is concluding her "innings" with the Bharat Jodo Yatra triggered speculation about her future plans with a section interpreting as her retirement from politics.
However, the party played it down with senior leaders insisting that she was referring to her tenure as the party president.
Recalling her days in the party, Sonia said she has the honour of becoming the party president for the first time in 1998 and over these 25 years, the Congress has seen times of "high achievements and deep disappointments".
She said, “the support, goodwill and understanding of each one of you and all the Congress party workers throughout the country has given us all strength. Our victories in 2004 and 2009 along with the able leadership of Dr Manmohan Singhji gave me personal satisfaction but what gratifies me most is that my innings could conclude with the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”
This remark was interpreted by several people as her announcement of retirement from active politics but Congress General Secretary Kumari Selja said Sonia was not talking about retirement from politics and the remarks were limited to her tenure as Congress president.
The 76-year-old leader has been in the background for some years due to health reasons and she was not initially willing to become interim party president when Rahul Gandhi resigned as party chief following the 2019 debacle.
Some leaders also floated the idea of Sonia staying as party chief till the conclusion of 2024 Lok Sabha polls but she had refused to accept the suggestion.
At the plenary, she also said, the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul, who is also her son, has come as a turning point. "It has proved that the people of India overwhelmingly want harmony, tolerance and equality. It has renewed the rich legacy of dialogue between our party and the people. Congress stands with the people and fights for them."
Launching an all-out attack on the BJP government, she said it was "fuelling the fire of hatred" and "viciously targeting minorities, women, Dalits and tribals" while urging Congress workers to work with vigour and reach out to people about the party's message.
Without naming Gautam Adani's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sonia said the government has been causing economic troubles for people by favouring a particular businessman.
"This is a particularly challenging time for the Congress and the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have captured every institution. The BJP is fuelling the fire of hatred and viciously targeting minorities, women, Dalits and tribals," she alleged.