The Congress Working Committee met on Monday to discuss the next leader who would take over as the Party President. However, there has been a major rift in the party meeting.
The former president of the party, Rahul Gandhi intervened at the meeting and questioned the timing of a letter signed by 20 top party leaders who were allegedly targeting the Gandhi leadership. The letter came after the interim President of the party, Sonia Gandhi, asked to be relieved from the post. Rahul Gandhi further accused the signatories of colluding with the BJP.
As per the sources, it was not only Rahul Gandhi but also the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who accused the signatories of being in link with the ruling party. Gandhi further questioned the timing of the letter as the Congress is currently at its weakest because of the fiasco in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The letter was written by the 26 senior and top leaders of the Congress party including several MPs and former Union Ministers who demanded full time and visible leadership. The letter further mentions that the Gandhis will always be an integral part of the party’s leadership. The signatories include people like Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prithviraj Chauhan, Vivek Tankha, and Anand Sharma.
Congress Leaders React
Kapil Sibal took to Twitter and wrote,
“Rahul Gandhi says we are colluding with BJP. Succeeded in Rajasthan High Court defending the Congress party. Defending party in Manipur to bring down BJP Government. The last 30 years have never made a statement in favor of BJP on any issue yet ‘we are colluding with the BJP!”
However, later the Congress clarified that Rahul Gandhi never accused on the meet. The party’s spokesperson issued a clarification and wrote,
“Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it. Please don’t be misled by false media discourse or misinformation being spread. But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather than fighting and hurting each other and the Congress.”
Sh. Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it.
Pl don’t be mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread.
But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then fighting & hurting each other & the Congress. https://t.co/x6FvPpe7I1
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 24, 2020
Kapil Sibal later deleted his tweet and wrote,
“Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him. I, therefore, withdraw my tweet.”
Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him .
I therefore withdraw my tweet .
— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 24, 2020
Here are some of the Tweet reactions.
A true leader recognises a crisis, takes feedback and criticism constructively. And then there is this. It is astounding that @RahulGandhi says this about long time loyal Congress party leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Milind Deora and others https://t.co/BPGAH6kQrf
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) August 24, 2020
The worst things you can say about Kapil Sibal won’t include collusion with BJP by any stretch of the imagination. Rahul Gandhi has completely lost it. https://t.co/XlkZiYotEw
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) August 24, 2020
So, Randeep Surgewala calling Kapil Sibal, a liar … https://t.co/D6jmFybR6D
— Suresh Nakhua ?? ( सुरेश नाखुआ ) (@SureshNakhua) August 24, 2020
If dissent within the Cong party with the likes of @JhaSanjay @GulamNabiAzadt , Mukul Wasnik , Kapil Sibal can find some one to take on the BJP and Modi they should speak up if they don't have an alternative they should shut up and let Rahul Gandhi do his job
— Ravinder Kapur (@RavinderKapur2) August 24, 2020
