Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on November 18 slammed party colleague Kapil Sibal over his Bihar poll debacle introspection remark, saying those unhappy with the party’s functioning are free to leave instead of embarrassing it in public.
Mr. Chowdhury stung Mr. Sibal for “giving sermons from AC rooms” and said disgruntled members may join other parties or form their own outfits.
Wondering why Mr. Sibal was not seen campaigning for the Congress during the Bihar elections, the party’s West Bengal chief said, “Speaking without doing anything doesn’t mean introspection.”
“Kapil Sibal could have raised the issues inside a party forum instead of making such embarrassing remarks in public. He is a senior leader and has access to the party’s top brass.
“Those who are unhappy with the functioning of the party have the freedom to form a new party or join one if they feel that the Congress is not the right place for them,” Mr. Chowdhury, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), told reporters in Kolkata.
His comments came in the backdrop of Mr. Sibal criticising the Congress leadership for the party’s abysmal performance in the Bihar elections, where it bagged only 19 of the 70 seats it contested.
Mr. Sibal was part of a group of 23 senior Congress leaders who had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in August, giving suggestions on ways to revive the grand old party.
“He seems to be very concerned about the Congress and its need for introspection. Earlier also he had spoken about it in public. But he was not seen campaigning for the party in the elections in Bihar or other States that went to polls last year.
“Instead of giving sermons sitting in AC rooms, he should work on the ground. Lecturing others without doing anything won’t help. Only calling for introspection without doing anything on our own is of no use,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
After the 2019 poll debacle, Rahul Gandhi stepped down as the party chief and now nobody can question the intention of Mr. Rahul Gandhi or Ms. Sonia Gandhi. They also offered that someone from outside the Gandhi-Nehru family should lead the party, the Baharampur MP said.
Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot had criticised Mr. Sibal, saying his statements had hurt the sentiments of party workers across the country.