After the drubbing received by the Congress Party in the elections of five states this year, namely Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur, several questions have been raised regarding the party's leadership, particularly the ability of the Gandhi family to lead the Grand Old Party.
Alleging that the party's leadership was living in "cuckoo land," Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "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," The Indian Express reported.
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.
Pointing a finger towards 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."
'Gandhis Are To Blame for Party's Shameful Defeat': Amarinder
Meanwhile, former Congress Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh said the Gandhi family was the reason behind the party's defeat in five states, and added that the party was "comfortably placed" to win in Punjab before he was removed from the CM post, news agency PTI reported.
Singh had been asked to resign by the Congress leadership in September 2021 after infighting between him and Punjab Congress state President Navjot Singh Sidhu.
"People across the country had lost faith in the leadership of the Gandhis,” Singh said, adding, "The party had dug its own grave in the border state the day they decided to back an unstable and pompous person like Navjot Sidhu, and naming a corrupt man like Charanjit Singh Channi as Chief Minister just months before the polls."
'Sibal Speaking Language of BJP-RSS'
Responding to Sibal's statements about the Congress' leadership, Manickam Tagore, the party's whip in the Lok Sabha, accused him of speaking like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"Why RSS & BJP wants Nehru-Gandhi’s out of the leadership? Because without Gandhi’s leadership congress will be become Janata party. It’s easy to kill congress then it’s easy to destroy the idea of India. @KapilSibal knows it but why he is speaking the language of RSS/BJP?" Tagore said on Twitter.
Rahul Gandhi Evades Questions on Sibal's Remark
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen evading questions regarding Sibal's remarks about the Gandhi family while entering Parliament to attend the Budget Session on Tuesday, ANI reported.
When reporters asked him to comment on Sibal's 'ghar ki Congress' remark, Gandhi dodged the question and went inside Parliament.
Out of the total 690 seats across the five states that went to the polls this year, the Congress managed to win a meagre 55 seats.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI, and The Indian Express.)
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