Congress denies Rahul Gandhi's 'colluding with BJP' remark

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has not accused any leader of colluding with the BJP, the party clarified on Monday (August 24) following angry reactions from the pro-reforms leaders who had sought sweeping changes in the party’s organisational structure.

Rahul Gandhi had lashed out at the leaders who had written to interim chief Sonia Gandhi seeking reforms in the party structure, including a collective leadership and dissolution of powers at its state units.

Sources present at the meeting said Gandhi was furious about the timing of the letter and it being leaked to the public. He appeared to suggest whether these leaders were “colluding with the BJP,” it was widely reported.

However, the party later clarified that Gandhi “has not said” a word of that nature, nor alluded to it.

The clarification came following angry reactions from the party leaders who were among the signatories of the letter.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal had gone to the extent of hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, publicly on Twitter, but later withdrew it saying the former party chief had informed him personally that he had never made the remark. Veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad offered resignation if any such links could be established.

Related news: Ready to quit if collusion charges proved: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Soon after Sibal’s tweet, Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it. Please don’t be misled by false media discourse or misinformation being spread.”

“But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather than fighting & hurting each other and the Congress,” Surjewala tweeted, tagging Sibal’s earlier tweet hitting out at Rahul Gandhi.