Rahul Gandhi resigned as Congress president in May (File)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday listed reasons for resigning as the party president in a letter he shared on Twitter. He said it would be "unjust" if held others accountable for the crushing loss of his party in Lok Sabha elections, but "ignore my own responsibility". He also launched a sharp attack at the BJP, saying "every living cell" in his body "instinctively resists their idea of India".
"Rebuilding the party requires hard decisions and numerous people have to be made accountable for the failure of 2019. It would be unjust to hold others accountable but ignore my own responsibility as president of the party," the letter read.
Mr Gandhi also explained why he would not appoint his successor.
"Ours is a party with a profound history and heritage, one of struggle and dignity that I deeply respect. It is woven into the fabric of India and I trust the party will make the best decision regarding who can lead us with courage, love and fidelity," the letter read further.
Mr Gandhi said that he fought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), BJP's ideological mentor, to defend the ideals India was build upon. "At times, I stood completely alone and am extremely proud of it," he wrote.
Mr Gandhi alleged that the Congress fought the 2019 election against the "entire machinery of the Indian state".
"We didn't fight a political party in the 2019 election. Rather, we fought the entire machinery of the Indian state, every institution of which was marshalled against the opposition. It is crystal clear that our once cherished institutional neutrality no longer exists in India," he wrote.
"The stated objectives of the RSS, the capture of our country's institutional structure, is now complete. Our democracy has been fundamentally weakened. There is a real danger that from now on, elections will go from being a determinant of India's future to a mere ritual," he added.
He described himself as a "loyal soldier of the Congress" and a "devoted son of India", vowing to continue serving and protecting the country.
Rahul Gandhi quit as Congress president on May 25, days after leading the party to its second national election drubbing. The party could win only 52 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, pulverized once again in the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP's massive victory.
In the weeks since Rahul Gandhi quit, there have been a rash of resignations in the Congress across the country.
Sources say the Congress Working Committee will meet soon to decide on his replacement, after failing to persuade him to change his mind.