STUNNED BY veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation and his attack on Rahul Gandhi, the Congress initially questioned the timing of his decision, and then launched a scathing counter-attack, accusing him of being in cahoots with the BJP. Several Congress leaders, including its two chief ministers, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, attacked Azad.

“It is most unfortunate and most regrettable that this has happened when Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and the entire Congress party organisation across the country is engaged in confronting, combating and fighting the BJP on public issues of price rise, unemployment and polarisation,” Jairam Ramesh, AICC general secretary in charge of communication, said at a press conference.

The Congress had earlier scheduled a press conference to be addressed by Ajay Maken, to target the AAP government in Delhi on the liquor policy. But it cancelled this, and a short statement was read out by Maken and Ramesh on Azad’s resignation instead.

“The entire Congress party organisation… has been involved in preparing for the ‘Mehangai Par Hallo Bol’ rally in New Delhi on September 4 which would be addressed by Rahul Gandhi. Twenty-two press conferences have been scheduled across the country on August 29. The launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra will take place on September 7 in Kanyakumari; finalisation of that launch is also underway and 32 press conferences have been scheduled across the country to project the message of the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” Ramesh said.

“So, at a time when every Congressman and every Congresswoman is involved in ensuring that the rally is a success, and… wants to be a Bharat yatri and walk along with Rahul Gandhi … it is most unfortunate and most regrettable… that we have had to read this letter that has been released to the press,” Ramesh said.

Launching an all-out attack soon after, Ramesh tweeted: “A man who has been treated with the greatest respect by the Congress leadership has betrayed it by his vicious personal attacks which reveal his true character. GNA’s DNA has been modi-fied… First Modi’s tears in Parliament, then Padma Vibhushan, then the extension for residence. Yeh sanyog nahi, sahyog hai (It’s not a coincidence, it’s a collaboration)”.

Ramesh said the contents of Azad’s resignation letter were “not factual” and its timing was “awful”.

The party’s media department head, Pawan Khera, linked Azad’s resignation to the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure. “As soon as your Rajya Sabha term got over, you became restless, you cannot stay without a post even for a second. It is a challenging time, everyone is fighting together and the party is being strengthened under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership,” he said, adding that the people who had contributed to weakening the party were now saying that the party has been weakened.

Claiming that every party worker was aware of this “betrayal”, Khera said “his (Azad’s) remote control is in the hands of Modi”. “We have seen the love between Narendra Modi and Ghulam Nabi Azad, it was also seen in Parliament. That love has been manifested in this letter,” he said.

“It is very clear. Perhaps you have joined hands with those people who have scrapped Article 370 in Kashmir. Ho sakta hai kuch aapke unke saat madhur sambandh ho gaye honge (It is possible that you have a warm relationship with them). But I want to tell you one thing. You have written in the letter that it is time to unite the Congress. And in the same letter you are saying there is no need for Bharat jodo. Instead of uniting the Congress, I condemn the step that you have taken to divide the Congress,” said senior party leader Digvijaya Singh.

“And that at a time when Sonia Gandhi, whose family had given you everything, is abroad for medical treatment. I did not expect this from you. The Congress had given you everything. At such a time of crisis, you should have stood firmly with the Congress,” he said.

Gehlot said Rahul would have his own ideas on taking the Congress forward. “I am aghast. I am shocked. We have been together for 42 years. The party gave him every opportunity… be it Indira Gandhi or Sanjay Gandhi… they even went to attend Azad’s wedding in Srinagar. From there it all started… they wanted to promote the young man… for the last 42 years, he got all the posts, all the opportunities… Union minister, AICC general secretary, chief minister… The Congress never hesitated in giving him opportunities,” Gehlot said.

“Today, his identity in the country is because of the Congress, because of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Sonia Gandhi. I do not think the way he has expressed his sentiment can be called proper… Whatever our identity is today is due to the faith the Congress high command had in us. How many people get a chance? No one in the country expected that Azad saab would now write such a letter,” he said.

Questioning the timing of the decision, at a time when Sonia is abroad for a medical check-up, Gehlot said: “This, I believe, is against human nature, against sensitivity.”

Baghel said Azad was constantly trying to harm the party. “The party had given him full respect. He was made a cabinet minister and chief minister. His exit will cause no loss to the party,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said Azad’s remarks against Rahul were “not in good taste”. “He enjoyed everything, power and authority, for a long time and is now finding fault,” he said.

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