New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, reportedly dismayed over the party's top leaders targeting the Gandhi leadership of the party, accused them of working in cahoots with the BJP. News agency ANI quoted sources saying that the top leaders of the party, who wrote a letter to party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi demanding change in the leadership, said it was done "in collusion with the BJP".
The reported accusation by Rahul Gandhi came during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting which is being held amid divisions in the party over the leadership issue and Sonia's proposal to resign.
However, the Congress rejected of Rahul making any such allegations. Rahul Gandhi hasn't said a word of this nature nor alluded to it, the party said amid the row over the reported remarks by the former party chief.
"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," party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet.
Rahul asked why the letter attacked the Congress when it was at its weakest, when it was battling crises in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and when the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) was unwell.
Upset with the accusations by the former party president, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he would resign if there is a feeling that the signatories of the letters had colluded with the BJP.
Kapil Sibal, in a tweet, said that in the last 30 years, he has never made a statement in favour of the BJP on any issue and yet he is being accused of colluding with BJP.
"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 Govt. Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue. Yet “ we are colluding with the BJP !" he wrote.
Responding to Kapil Sibal’s tweet, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked him to not be “mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread.” Soon after, Sibal deleted his tweet.
"Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him . I therefore withdraw my tweet," he wrote in another tweet.
The party is divided on the leadership matter with a section demanding collective leadership and another reposing faith in the Gandhi family.
Sonia offered to resign after around 20 leaders wrote to her demanding a full-time, visible president and overhauling of the organisational structure including elections to the CWC and reconstitution of the Parliamentary board.
Massive support poured for the Gandhis on Sunday after the "pro-reform" leaders went public, with Congress chief ministers leading the calls for Sonia Gandhi to stay until Rahul Gandhi takes charge.
Almost all Lok Sabha MPs of the party have written to Sonia Gandhi expressing solidarity and urging her to continue in her post or instal Rahul Gandhi.
Several state units including Delhi and Rajasthan passed resolutions favouring the leadership of Gandhis after a letter from a section of senior party leaders demanded sweeping reforms in the party, going to the extent of questioning the current CWC's ability to guide the party in the fight against the BJP.
Ironically, at least three of the dissenters are themselves part of the same CWC. These include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Mukul Wasnik.
Posted By: Abhinav Gupta
