Congress leaders rally behind Gandhis, slam Ghulam Nabi Azad

Party leaders call for Rahul Gandh to return as Congress President

After Ghulam Nabi Azad’s broadside against the functioning of the Congress, party leaders were seen rallying behind the Gandhi family with a section urging Rahul Gandhi to return as party chief and steer it back to its winning ways.

Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury described Azad as an “opportunist” who was questioning the party when it was passing through a crisis, while Haryana MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi accused the former J&K Chief Minister of “playing into the hands of the BJP.”

Bishnoi, a four-term MLA and two-term Lok Sabha member, said that Azad had conveniently remembered internal elections, whereas he enjoyed every position in the party as a “nominated member”.

“What is your history? You have won only three elections and were nominated to the Rajya Sabha for five terms by the Gandhi family,” Bishnoi said accusing him of conspiring to harm the party.

Chowdhury, who also is the President of the West Bengal unit of the Congress, said he was not aware of the five star culture that Azad was referring to.

He said he has very little funds to run the West Bengal Congress, and perhaps “those who have held key posts may know about the five star culture”.

Former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said organisational elections were not a panacea for the betterment of the Congress, which has truly shattered its structure at the block and district level.

“The party will remain powerless and skeptical till such time when the top leadership of the party gears up to take up the challenge,” he said.

“There is only one solution, Rahul Gandhi should become the Congress President immediately and bring about radical changes in the organisation. Hardworking and energetic leaders and workers should be brought forward,” said Nirupam.

Asked about Azad’s remarks on internal elections, AICC spokesman Pawan Khera pointed out that the same person had criticised the elections held for Youth Congress appointments at the instance of Rahul Gandhi.

“We feel hurt when someone raises internal issues on a public platform, particularly senior leaders who have every party platform available to them to air their views,” Khera told reporters.