Congress issues notice to Jharkhand old-timer Furqan Ansari for criticizing Rahul Gandhi

The Jharkhand Congress has issued a show-cause notice to Furqan Ansari for criticising former party president Rahul Gandhi and state in-charge RPN Singh, sources said. In the notice, Ansari has been asked to explain his remarks within seven days. Sources said that the notice has been sent after there were demands from state leaders for strict action against Ansari to send a message to dissenters.

'It hurts to see this condition of the party'

Criticizing Rahul Gandhi, Ansari had said that the former party chief failed to impress the people at a rally in Bihar as ‘they could not understand what he spoke’. The top minority leader of the Congress also said that the party’s status will only improve if Rahul Gandhi changes his advisors who have ‘kept him in the dark.’

"As the party was gearing for Bihar elections and Rahul Gandhi was rallying in Bihar’s Kahalgaon we had encouraged people from surrounding villages to attend his rally. A lot of people went for the program, but after returning they said: We saw Rahul Gandhi, but could not understand what he said. The villagers were mainly women," Ansari said. 

Ansari said he would write to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and seek major changes in the party organisation. "I have been a Congressman since 1980 when India Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. I need no certificate to prove that I belong to Congress. But today it hurts me to see this condition of the party," he added.

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Kharge hits out at those 'weakening' Congress

Meanwhile, senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at colleagues who are targeting the Congress leadership following defeat in elections and accused them of 'weakening' the party from within. Stressing the need to support the party high command, he said, "... we have to fight unitedly. It has pained me that some senior leaders have spoken against the party and its leadership."

Speaking at an event to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Kharge said, on the one hand, we have BJP and RSS on our back and on the other, these people are drilling from within. "if we weaken the party and our leaders in such a way, definitely the party cannot go forward and ultimately if our ideology is weakened we will be destroyed. You will have to keep this in mind," he added. Kharge's comments come in the backdrop of questions raised by a section of Congress leaders against the leadership after a dismal performance in Bihar polls.

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