Ashok Gehlot Rebukes Kapil Sibal, Says Gandhis Have 'Given Him a Lot of Chances'

Kapil Sibal had said that someone else should get a chance at leading the party, asking the Gandhis to step aside.

Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday, 15 March, slammed his colleague Kapil Sibal for his remarks against the party's top leadership, saying that the senior lawyer was not a man of "Congress culture" and didn't know "the ABCD of Congress."

Speaking to reporters, the leader stated,

"Kapil Sibal isn't a person from Congress culture. He's a renowned advocate who entered Congress. He didn't toil as a worker. Sonia ji and Rahul ji have given him a lot of chances."

Ashok Gehlot

Stating that Sibal's remarks were unfortunate, he added, "Kapil Sibal does not know the ABCD of Congress, and does not understand the basic spirit of Congress. Congress has made sacrifices for the country before and after independence, Kapil Sibal forgets this."

Kharge, Chowdhury Attack Sibal

Meanwhile, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that Sibal might be a good lawyer but he wasn't a good leader of the Congress party.

"He never went to any village to work for Congress. He is deliberately trying to weaken the party. No one can weaken Sonia Gandhi or the Congress party," Kharge was quoted as saying by ANI.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, too, shared a similar sentiment.

"Kapil Sibal kahan ke neta hain mujhe pata nahi. He got many advancements because of the Congress party. Things were good when he was a minister in the UPA govt now when UPA is not in power he is feeling bad," he told ANI.

Speaking about the G-23 leaders, who will be holding a meeting on Wednesday evening, he said, "They (G23) don't have a habit of staying out of governing power. That is why they're trying to save themselves while criticising. I don't know what's his (Congress leader Kapil Sibal) mass base [sic]."

Chowdhury then continued to attack Sibal:

"He (Congress leader Kapil Sibal) should set an example that he can do something without the support of Congress, fight for his ideology on their own. Otherwise, what is the outcome of just giving interviews while sitting in an AC room."

What Kapil Sibal Had Said

After the drubbing received by the Congress party in the elections in five states this year, namely Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur, Sibal had said that the party's leadership was living in "cuckoo land."

Speaking to The Indian Express, he added, "I want a 'sab ki Congress', some others want a 'ghar ki Congress'. And I will fight for a 'sab ki Congress' till my last breath."

Pointing a finger at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sibal said, "Rahul Gandhi went to Punjab and made the announcement that Charanjit Singh Channi will be the Chief Minister. In what capacity did he do that? He is not the president of the party, but he takes all the decisions."

Sibal's comments come after a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting was held on Sunday to discuss the election results, in which it was decided that Sonia Gandhi would continue as interim Congress president until elections for the post are conducted in August this year.

(With inputs from ANI.)