Manish Tewari hints he may be 'kicked out' of Congress after cryptic tweet on 'rebellion'

As the Congress infighting continues to explode in days leading up to elections, senior party MP Manish Tewari dropped a massive hint on Wednesday, saying that he may be 'kicked out' of the party.

Tewari, who has been unabashed in his criticism of the party’s functioning said he does not want to quit Congress, but if someone wants to kick him out, that's a different thing.

Ever since former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and veteran Congress leader Ashwani Kumar exited the party, rumours are abuzz that Manish Tewari could follow his suit. However, the Lok Sabha MP told ANI that he has no plans of quitting the Congress, although some may want him out of the party. 

"We are not tenants in Congress, we are shareholders. I have given 40 years of my life to the party. My family has shed blood for its unity and integrity. We believe in ideological politics. But if someone wants to kick me out, that's a different thing," he said. 

Manish Tewari, one of the prominent members of the ‘G-23’ group who had in 2020 written to Sonia Gandhi seeking an organizational restructure, has been openly criticizing Congress over the internal fissures in the party’s Punjab unit. His conflicting relationship with the leadership came to the fore after he was dropped from the party's star campaigners list for the Punjab elections.

'Main Bolta Hoon Toh...' Manish Tewari makes cryptic tweet

On Thursday, Tewari’s cryptic tweet quoting famous poet Bashir Badr, once again highlighted the leader’s relationship with the party. He wrote, “Mei bolta hun to ilzam hai bagawat ka, mei chup rahun toh badi bebasi si hoti hai (When I speak, I am accused of rebellion, when I keep quiet, I feel helpless)".

A day before, speaking about Ashwani Kumar’s exit after 46 years in the party, Tewari said there may be some truth in his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the same concerns have been raised by the G-23.

“He is a good person, a very good lawyer who has excellent arguments. Something may be true in what he has said in his resignation letter. These concerns were brought to the notice of the party high command by the G23 group in 2020. But his eye is on a Rajya Sabha seat," Tewari told PTI.