Senior Congress leader member G. Venkataswamy triggered a storm in the party on Tuesday by demanding that AICC president Sonia Gandhi should relinquish her post and make way for a leader of Indian origin.
“I have serious doubts of the Congress coming back to power under Ms. Gandhi's leadership in the next elections. Out of the 28 States, the Congress is in power in only a handful. This number may become zero if she continues to be at the helm. Congress leaders have won elections based on the Congress party's symbol and not because of Ms. Gandhi,” he said.
Stating that the days of the Congress were numbered if Ms. Gandhi continued in the party for a minute more, Mr. Venkataswamy said, “Only people of Indian origin should hold the post of Congress party president.” Repeatedly questioning Ms. Gandhi's leadership, he said corruption had reached alarming proportions ever since she came to the helm.
Cause of outburst
The immediate cause of the outburst of Mr. Venkataswamy, who is now 85, was the meeting of Defence Minister A.K. Antony with Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi here on Monday in his capacity as Ms. Gandhi's emissary. The AICC leader extended an invitation to Mr. Chiranjeevi to hold discussions with Ms. Gandhi about cementing their friendship for mutual benefit.
The former Union Minister, who was Congress Working Committee (CWC) member for three terms, held that the image of the 125-year-old party had taken a severe beating after Mr. Antony went and met the film star-turned-politician whom he described as “a dancer.”
“I am ashamed and shocked by the actions of the party leadership,” he remarked.
Another reason given for his attack on Ms. Gandhi was his failure to get an appointment with the Congress president in spite of several attempts. Asked whether his remarks would attract disciplinary action, he shot back, “Who can dare to touch me and take action?” At the same time, he said he would not quit the party.
Ripples in Congress
Smita Gupta reports from New Delhi:
Mr. Venkataswamy's attack on Ms. Gandhi has sent ripples through the party, especially as he is from the troubled Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Party media committee chairperson Janardan Dwivedi responded to Mr. Venkataswamy's diatribe circumspectly: “We have taken note of it.”
Mr. Venkataswamy can be summarily expelled by the party chief, senior sources in the party told The Hindu – it need not go to the Disciplinary Committee. However, these sources added that the party was not going to rush into taking action against Mr. Venkataswamy because of the “complicated politics of Andhra Pradesh.”
Meanwhile, the sources added that Mr. Venkataswamy's son, G. Vivek, who is the current MP from Pedappali, the seat which his father had represented earlier, has distanced himself from his father's remarks.
