‘Only Congress can keep nation united’: Gehlot attacks Sibal, takes Congress versus Congress a notch higher

Veteran Congress leader Kapil Sibal, in an interview, has emphasised on the need of introspection in the party. The party is on decline, the former Union minister said in the aftermath of the Congress’s massive drubbing in the recently held Bihar assembly election.

Congress leaders are divided over Sibal’s comment which took Congress versus Congress a notch higher with senior leader contributing to the discourse. Karti Chidambaram has supported Sibal’s introspection call. Earlier, when Congress leaders alleged EVM fraud during the counting of the votes, Karti disagreed.

Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress’s tall leader Ashok Gehlot blamed Sibal for mentioning the party’s internal issue in media. “This has hurt the party workers across the country,” Gehlot said.

“Congress has seen various crises including 1969, 1977, 1989 and later in the 1996 - but every time we came out stronger due to our ideology, programs, policies and firm belief in party leadership,” Gehlot tweeted. Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam demanded that party leaders who were responsible for taking decisions in Bihar polls should be held accountable for the dismal show, but defended Rahul Gandhi.

Gehlot lauded Sonia Gandhi’s leadership but did not brush aside the issue of Congress’s electoral loss. “There are various reasons for Electoral loses. But each time rank and file of the Congress Party has shown undivided and firm belief in the party leadership and that is why we came out of it stronger and united after every crises. We have improved with each and every crisis and also formed UPA government in 2004 under the able leadership of Soniaji, we shall overcome this time too,” he said.

“Even today, Congress is the only party which can keep this Nation united and take it forward on the path of comprehensive development,” he added.

“We are yet to hear on recent polls... Maybe Congress leadership thinks it should be business as usual, Sibal tweeted on Monday. Sibal was part of a group of 23 senior Congress leaders who had in August written to party chief Sonia Gandhi making suggestions on ways revive the organisation.

In 2018, the Congress wrested Rajasthan from the BJP, winning 100 seats (Rasjtriya Lok Dal won 1 seat. With deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot crossing swords with Gehlot, the Congress leadership in the state was questioned. But finally, Gehlot government win floor test and Pilot too yielded.