NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday slammed Kapil Sibal and said there was no need for the senior party leader to discuss internal party issues in the media.
"Kapil Sibal's move has hurt the sentiments of party workers across the country," Gehlot said in a series of tweets and claimed "Even today, Congress is the only party which can keep this nation united and take it forward on the path of comprehensive development."
"Congress has seen various crises including 1969, 1977, 1989 and later in the 1996 - but every time we came out stronger due to our ideology, programmes, policies and firm belief in party leadership," the Rajasthan CM claimed.
Stating that the Congress has improved with each and every crisis and also formed UPA government in 2004 under the able leadership of Soniaji, Gehlot said "we shall overcome this time too."
"There are various reasons for Electoral loses. But each time rank and file of the Congress party has shown undivided and firm belief in the party leadership and that is why we came out of it stronger and united after every crises," he said.
Gehlot was reacting to remarks made by Sibal who once again questioned the functioning of the party leadership.
Sibal was one of the 23 leaders who wrote a letter seeking sweeping reforms in the party.
Contending that he was "compelled to speak publicly" as there is "no forum in the party to discuss party issues", he said that the Congress needs efficient and senior leaders to manage elections.
His statements coming in wake of the party's dismal performance in the Bihar assembly polls as well as the string of bypolls in various states are viewed as an apparent attack on team Rahul Gandhi whose handpicked team was involved in the election process.
He also expressed unhappiness that no senior party leader had spoken on the Bihar results.