New Delhi, June 1 – Close on the heels of widespread criticism of Rahul Gandhi and his team of advisers for the party’s Lok Sabha debacle, voices of dissent against the Congress vice-president are growing as a party leader referred to him on Saturday as the “managing director of a team of jokers”.
“Rahul Gandhi is directionless and has no policy. He and his advisers are responsible for the party’s defeat in the elections as there is no huge mass support for him,” Congress legislator from Sardarshahar in Rajasthan,” Bhanwar Lal Sharma said.
Sharma also suggested that AICC president Sonia Gandhi should focus on strengthening the party instead of showing affection for her son. The latest rumblings reportedly came up during a review of the Congress’ dismal show in Rajasthan. The Congress lost all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Last year, it was washed out in the Assembly elections.
The comments came days after Kerala Congress leader T.H. Mustafa described Rahul as a “joker”.
Bickering was also reported during a review meeting in Rajasthan convened on Friday by PCC president Sachin Pilot and general secretary in-charge Gurudas Kamat. Some party leaders blamed the government of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot for the Congress’ defeat.
In the northeastern state of Mizoram, five time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had told party workers that the Congress paid for its “misdeeds” and did not know how to face defeat. Though he did not target Rahul, he criticised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for targeting Narendra Modi.
While Mustafa was suspended on May 29 by the Kerala unit for saying that Rahul should be removed from the post if he did not resign in the backdrop of the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, Sachin Pilot only condemned Sharma’s statement.
“Such indecent comments are condemnable. I understand that action should be taken. We will discuss it in our meeting,” Pilot told reporters. Rahul has been accused of leading a lacklustre poll campaign against the BJP’s campaign led by Narendra Modi. Several Congress leaders questioned the role of Rahul’s advisers, saying they had failed during the election campaign as they had no clue of the situation on the ground.
Sonia, then, asked Congress leaders to give their feedback within party forums and to refrain from public acrimony. Following the Lok Sabha debacle, discontent is simmering in several state units of the Congress amid demands from leaders for a more active role for Priyanka.
The Kerala Congress unit withdrew a resolution that questioned the central leadership over the poll debacle. The resolution also mentioned the contribution of Priyanka in pepping up the campaign. Former Ministers K. V. Thomas and M. M. Pallam Raju publicly demanded that Priyanka should play a more active role.
-INDIA TODAY
