Rahul Gandhi uncomfortable with veteran leaders, says Shakeel Ahmad

Former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad alleged Rahul Gandhi wants to replace senior established leaders with young loyalists. He claimed Gandhi is uncomfortable with veterans and feels superior due to his Nehru-Gandhi lineage.

'Rahul Wants to Oust Senior Leaders'

Former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad on Saturday alleged that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wants to throw senior established leadership out of the party and replace them with young leadership that speaks well of him. Speaking with ANI, Ahmad said that Gandhi has kept the youth Congress and NSUI together to achieve the same. "Rahul Gandhi has kept the youth Congress and NSUI together as he wants to throw the senior established leaders out of the Congress party and replace them with leaders of the youth Congress and those who speak well of Rahul Gandhi," he said.

'Uncomfortable with Veterans'

Shakeel Ahmed also claimed Rahul Gandhi is "uncomfortable" about collaborating with popular, veteran leaders. "There are many leaders in Congress who have been politicians long before Rahul Gandhi became one. The day Rahul Gandhi ji won his first election, I won my fifth election. I believe he is uncomfortable sitting with those who don't think of him as their boss. I have felt this for a long time, but when you stay in party you don't say such things," Ahmad told ANI.

He also alleged that Rahul Gandhi has a sense of superiority because of his Nehru-Gandhi lineage. "I used to tell him don't do this, don't do that. I think he used to feel offended that someone is telling me these things; I belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family. He feels that everything is given to Congress by his family," he said.

'No Internal Democracy'

Ahmed also alleged, "There is no internal democracy in the Congress party...In the Congress party, whatever Rahul Gandhi says is final."

Reactions Pour In

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor refused to react to Shakeel Ahmad's statements. "I cannot comment on everybody else's statements. I think if Shakeel Sahab has said this, talk to him. He can speak for himself...I do not think it's appropriate for me to discuss any of these issues in public," he said.

On the other hand, the BJP seized the opportunity to slam Congress over Shakeel Ahmad's statement. BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla said, "Shakeel Ahmad has revealed the real face of Rahul Gandhi by revealing that he is one of the most insecure and coward leader." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)