The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks about internal divisions within his party, accusing him of shifting blame onto his own colleagues. During a press conference on Saturday, BJP spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised Rahul, saying, “Rahul Gandhi says he is chained…From alleging his party, people, constitutional institutions, and media—he has now started blaming his own people. I suggest he do self-introspection instead of blaming others.”
He also remarked, “This is a reflection of his deteriorating mental state and Congress party’s deterioration.”
Union Minister Giriraj Singh also attacked the Congress leader, stating, “Gujarat Congress leaders and workers have proven that they do not trust Rahul Gandhi, and today, Rahul Gandhi himself has admitted it. When questions are raised on the leadership, then the supporters and cadres leave the party”, news agency ANI reported.
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Rahul Gandhi’s Stresses Need To ‘Filter Out’ Congress Leaders ‘Working For BJP’
Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, stressed on Friday that there was a need to “filter out” Congress workers and leaders who were working for the BJP, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing party workers in Ahmedabad on Saturday, he reiterated, “The leadership of Gujarat, the workers of Gujarat, the district presidents (Congress) of Gujarat, the block presidents—there are two types of people. One, stands with the people, fights for them, respects them, and has the ideology of the Congress in his heart. The other is the one who is cut off from the people, sits far away, does not respect the people, and half of them have joined the BJP. Until we clearly separate these two, the people of Gujarat cannot believe in us.”
#WATCH | Ahmedabad: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says “The leadership of Gujarat, the workers of Gujarat, the district presidents (Congress) of Gujarat, the block presidents, there are two types of people in them, there are divisions. One, stands with the people,… pic.twitter.com/B7peYXCjRa
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025
His visit to Gujarat is part of a larger strategy for the 2027 assembly elections. Upon his arrival in Ahmedabad, Rahul met senior party leaders, including former state Congress presidents and opposition leaders. He later attended a meeting with the state political affairs committee and held discussions with district and city Congress presidents, as well as nearly 400 taluka and municipality chiefs.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal said Rahul was focused on strengthening the party. “Rahul Gandhi gave his entire time to listen to party leaders from the block, district, and state levels. Our concentration is to strengthen the organisation, and that is why we are taking views of local leaders,” he said, as per PTI.
During the meetings, Rahul urged the state Congress unit to raise local issues, including unemployment, inflation, women’s security, and farmers’ distress. He assured party cadres of a major overhaul, promising accountability among office-bearers. Special emphasis was laid on strengthening the party’s booth-level structure.
The upcoming AICC session, scheduled for April 8-9 in Ahmedabad, will be the first such gathering in the state in 64 years.
In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, the Congress won only 17 out of 182 seats, and its strength in the House later dropped to 12 following the resignation of five MLAs.
