He reportedly said that it reinforced the party's image as a "dynastic party".
Rahul Gandhi remained steadfast in his decision to quit as the Congress president after his party's massive defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, but his offer was unanimously rejected at a meeting of the party's top leaders on Saturday.
Following this, former PM Rajiv Gandhi's son reportedly lashed out at Congress leaders for 'pushing their sons' for candidature.
This comes in light of the fact that the BJP has been repeatedly criticising Gandhi and his party primarily over "dynasty politics".
During a four-hour long discussion session in which Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia spoke about the need to build and strengthen local leadership in the party from the grassroots level, Rahul Gandhi rebuked the practice of several leaders fielding their sons and daughters for the polls this time, without naming anyone particularly.
He mentioned that such a practice only reinforced the party's perception to the voters as being a "dynastic party" and opened them up for assaults from its political rivals.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, most of the new generation candidates lost, which emboldens the fact that there could perhaps be no immediate substitute to experienced leaders who have nurtured their respective constituencies for a long time.
1. Dyansts who lost
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The new-generation candidates from Congress who lost this time around include Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot and former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev's daughter Sushmita Dev.
In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath was fielded, but he won his Chhindwara seat, saving the Congress' face.
2. Rahul Gandhi took charge of the party from his mother
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Rahul Gandhi had taken charge of the party in December 2017 from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remains the UPA spokesperson.
On Saturday, despite his plainspeak, the Congress Working Committee once again stuck to the same template, refusing to let Rahul Gandhi step down as party president, even praising and authorizing him to go for a complete overhaul of the party.
The Congress has always had the Gandhi family at the helm. Even after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, Sonia Gandhi was advised and convinced to enter active politics and take the reins of the party.
3. Don't drag my sister into it: Rahul
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Rahul Gandhi reportedly made it clear that he would not "vanish" and would continue to work for the party.
According to sources, he had said that it was not necessary that the president should be from the Gandhi family.
When Priyanka Gandhi's name came up as an alternative, Rahul Gandhi was reported to have said: "Don't drag my sister into it."
