Rahul’s Elevation is Rigged: Maha Congress Secy Shehzad Poonawalla

Shehzad’s brother Tehseen has come out in support of Rahul Gandhi, claiming Shehzad backstabbed him.

Shehzad also asked Rahul to contest the poll based on merit rather than his surname, taking a dig at dynast politics. 

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Labelling the Congress’ presidential elections ‘rigged’, the secretary of the party’s Maharashtra unit Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday demanded that Rahul Gandhi first resign from his post before contesting for the top post.

Poonawalla added that he would also contest the election if it were conducted in a ‘genuine’ manner.

Calling the election a ‘selection’ rather than a democratic process, Poonawalla said,

I cannot contest a rigged election. If the system is genuine, then I will contest. It is a rigged election... it is a selection. Delegates who are going to vote for this election have not been elected as per the constitutional requirements. They have been handpicked. Will you allow real delegates to get appointed and vote rather than a bunch of handpicked ‘yes’ men?

Shehzad Poonawalla, Maharashtra Congress Secretary 

Poonawalla then expressed his interest in contesting the elections, subject to some conditions, which included ‘genuine’ elections and Rahul’s resignation from his post of Congress vice president.

I will contest if Rahul Gandhiji agrees to first have genuinely-elected delegates and not handpicked delegates. Second, he must give up his post because he has an unfair advantage by being the Vice President. He has been selected and not elected as VP. He will leave his post, I will leave my post. Then we can contest.

Shehzad Poonawalla

Poonawalla went on to target the Gandhi scion’s ‘legacy’, challenging him to a televised debate.

Third, will he be ready for a televised debate where we both as contestants can have a debate on what is our vision for the Congress party? We can be judged on merit, not on the surname.

Shehzad Poonawalla

On Tuesday, 28 November, Poonawalla also wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi in this regard. In the letter, he first brings up his own rise to the position of the Maharashtra Congress Secretary.

Firstly, a common party worker like me joined the party in 2008-09. I spent time, energy and money working voluntarily for the party at all levels and finally got elevated after eight years to the position of a Secretary of a state unit in 2016. 

Shehzad Poonawalla

Poonawalla then goes on to ask Rahul Gandhi how, apart from his surname, he rose to the position of Congress Vice President in the same time span.

But how and why, other than your surname, did you in the same time span start off with an MP seat in 2004, get general secretaryship in 2007 and then graduate to vice presidentship of the national unit while your mother was the President?

Shehzad Poonawalla

Text from the letter sent by the Maharashtra Congress Secretary.(Photo: The Quint)

In closing, Poonawalla asks Gandhi to ‘curb the innumerable dynasts’ in the party by giving only one ticket/post to any family.

You failed to deliver on the promise that IYC, NSUI won’t end up electing children of ‘netas’. Will you at least now curb the innumerable dynasts who are given tickets and posts in the party by implementing the rule of one ticket/post to only one member in any family?

The outburst led to many wondering what triggered its apparent sudden onset.

Shehzad’s brother Tehseen, who is married to Rahul’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra’s sister Monica, came out in support of Rahul. He expressed his disappointment over his brother’s statement while talking to the media and also on Twitter.

He went on to add that he had cut ties with his brother following the outburst.

The move by Poonawalla, also resulted in reactions and tweets from a number of prominent figures, both political and otherwise.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh criticised the Congress for conducting an election where the outcome is already known. “It is Congress's internal matter, but everyone knows it is one party where its already known who will be the president. One interesting feature is that with every electoral defeat the leader gets a promotion”, he said.

Meanwhile, Twitter too had a lot to say on the matter.

Shehzad responded to the outpour of reactions both on and off social media, by tweeting a quote by Martin Luther King, adding that he was simply following his conscience.

This appears to be just the beginning of the wedge between Poonawalla and the Indian National Congress. Does this mean the end of the line for Shehzad Poonawalla’s ties with Congress or is there more behind this “sudden outburst”?

(With inputs from IANS and ANI)

(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone])