‘Pray for his long life…’: Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi
Speaking to reporters today, Ghulam Nabi Azad also praised prime minister Narendra Modi, claiming he had now revised his earlier perception of him as a ‘crude man’.
Ex-Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday underlined his ‘respect’ for Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi – a week after sharp attacks on them in his resignation letter – and said he ‘pray(ed) for his (Rahul’s) long life’.
“We tried to make him a successful leader… but he is not interested…” the veteran politician said, sneaking in a second jab at the Congress MP.
Azad spoke at length to reporters outside his residence in Delhi, where he also fielded questions on future plans (will he join the Bharatiya Janata Party or float his own outfit?) and offered his ‘best wishes’ to the Congress. “… party needs medicines more than wishes.”
Ghulam Nabi Azad – one of the Congress’ senior-most leaders – walked out of the party last week on the back of a five-page letter that criticised Rahul Gandhi for allowing a ‘new coterie of inexperienced sycophants (to run party affairs)’.
Azad also slammed Sonia Gandhi – the party’s interim chief since her son quit after disastrous results in the 2019 general election – calling her a ‘figurehead’.
Unfortunately, after the entry of Rahul Gandhi into politics, and particularly after January 2013 when he was appointed as vice president by you (Sonia Gandhi), the entire consultative mechanism was demolished,” Azad wrote.
Azad was a member of the ‘G-23’ – a group of senior Congress leaders increasingly vociferous in their demand for an overhaul of leadership in the party and who have questioned Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s positions. Under pressure from the group, the party has decided to elect a more permanent leader and, on Sunday, announced October 17 as that date.
The senior leader’s exit sparked buzz that he would follow in the footsteps of Jyotiradiyta Scindia (now a union minister in the Modi government) and Sunil Jakhar, among others, and join the BJP. Such a move would be particularly brutal ahead of the 2024 general election.
For now, though, Azad has refuted such talk, insisting that he will not cross the political aisle.
He does, however, intend to set up his own outfit; GM Saroori said last week Azad would set up a national party within 20 days and be a chief ministerial face for J&K for the next election.
Speaking to reporters today, Ghulam Nabi Azad also praised prime minister Narendra Modi, claiming he had now revised his earlier perception of him as a ‘crude man’.
“I used to think PM Modi is a crude man… that he is not married, but he showed humanity…”
Azad also attacked the Congress again, declaring his former party ‘had an issue with me since the G23 letter was written’ and were using Modi ‘as an excuse’ to criticise him.
“I give my best wishes to the Congress… but the party needs medicines more than wishes.”
