After Rahul Gandhi on Friday issued a stern warning to party leaders in Gujarat, accusing some of secretly aiding the BJP, he called for a cleanse inside the party and stated that Congress is prepared to sack up to 40 members if necessary.
The BJP responded by saying that Gandhi has "trolled" his own party, making him the "biggest asset" of the BJP.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to X to take a dig at Rahul Gandhi, stating that "Rahul Gandhi admits he is unable to win in Gujarat, unable to show the way."
"He has trolled himself and his party. He tried to show the mirror to himself. Such an honest reaction... Rahul Gandhi admits he is unable to win in Gujarat, unable to show the way," Mr. Poonawalla said.
Mocking Gandhi’s analogy about Congress workers, he added, "Rahul Gandhi says some Congress workers are like racehorses forced to dance at weddings, and some are like wedding horses made to race. Are your party workers animals? At least call them humans."
During a high-stakes dialogue at Ahmedabad’s Jade Hall, Gandhi delivered a fiery address, urging Congress leaders to fulfill their responsibilities and gain the trust of the people of Gujarat. He highlighted the need for internal reform and emphasized that Congress' ideology aligns with Gujarat's needs. Gandhi also mentioned the struggles faced by small traders, entrepreneurs, and farmers in Gujarat and called for a new vision to address these issues.
Gandhi pointed out that Congress has been out of power in Gujarat for nearly 30 years, and each election becomes a talking point. He stressed that the issue is not just about elections but about fulfilling their responsibilities to gain the trust of the people. He stated that Congress should not ask for votes until they have fulfilled their duty, and once they do, Gujarat will stand with Congress.
He also addressed the reality of leadership in Gujarat, stating that there are two kinds of leaders: those who stand with the people and believe in Congress' ideology, and those who are detached, indifferent, and often switch sides to the BJP. Gandhi emphasized the need to separate these two types of leaders to gain the trust of the people.
Gandhi claimed that the past 25 years of governance have failed and that Congress can provide the necessary vision, but only if they clean house first.
Continuing his attack on X (formerly Twitter), Poonawalla accused Gandhi of deflecting blame for his party's repeated failures. He criticized Gandhi for calling Congress leaders disloyal while failing to acknowledge his own role in the party’s electoral losses.
"Rahul Gandhi is blaming EVMs, party workers, and now even his own leadership. Who will he blame next—the voters?" Poonawalla wrote, further suggesting that Congress has no real chance of revival in Gujarat.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that Gandhi should introspect instead of blaming others. "The statement he gave reflects Congress's internal misery and his typical state of mind," Trivedi said at a press conference. "From alleging his party, people, constitutional institutions, and media—he has now started blaming his own people. I suggest he introspect instead of pointing fingers," ANI quoted him as saying.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that even Congress workers in Gujarat have lost confidence in his leadership.
"The workers of Gujarat have expressed that they have no faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi... When questions are raised on the leadership, then the supporters and cadres leave the party," Singh said.
(With inputs from Express News Service)