Former Congress leader and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad has said it's true that he's not in the Congress party because of Rahul Gandhi adding his (Rahul) leadership was not only instrumental in the "complete demolition of the Congress" consultative mechanism but also gave rise to a new coterie of inexperienced sycophants to run the affairs of the party.
Ahead of the release of his book 'Azaad -- an autobiography', the former Congress stalwart, who quit the party last year, said he believes that the Congress is still run by "remote control" and he also came down heavily on a "new coterie of inexperienced sycophants" who manage its affairs.
Azad said he had great respect for Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, but acknowledged there were political differences with Rahul Gandhi.
"...as an individual, I am not saying Rahul Gandhi is a bad person. As an individual he is a good person. Maybe we have some political issues but those are the political issues that I had with him as long as I was in the Congress. Since I am no longer in the Congress party, I am nobody to tell him what is right for him and what is wrong for him," the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief said.
"I can only wish him well both health wise and politically. It is for him to navigate. I only wish he is a good swimmer and he knows how to navigate the rough waters. Politics is an art of navigating in rough sea. Even the best captains, if they don't have the experience... can doom the entire ship," Azad told PTI.
"Rahul Gandhi might not be holding any post as of now but everyone knows that he is the "captain of the ship (Congress)", he said and added that "... everybody knows who is calling the shots".
"If tomorrow (Congress president Mallikarjun) Kharge ji wants a CWC (Congress Working Committee) meeting in Bengaluru, nobody will go... so I only wish him (Rahul Gandhi) to navigate the ship," he said.
"It is for him to find whether he is a good navigator or a bad navigator, I am out of the ship and I better navigate in the river," Azad said.
Azad in his have mentioned about various instances when he had sharp differences with Rahul Gandhi, especially after G23's letter to the then party president Sonia Gandhi.
"I guess it was beginning of the end as the leadership instead of taking this letter as a wake-up call, and strengthening the organisation and holding party elections on the lines we had suggested, both Rahul and Sonia ji took offence and viewed it as a challenge to their authority," Azad said, adding that instead of heeding to the suggestions, the G-23 was snubbed as being pro-BJP.
"I still wonder, if we were pro-BJP, why would we suggest strengthening the organisation? Rather, we would simply let things continue as they were and make the dream of a 'Congress-mukt Bharat (Congress-free India)', which the current leadership (BJP) seems to have embarked upon, come true," he said, adding that "writing a letter to strengthen the same (Congress) organisation cost me heavily".
Congress reacts, slams Azad
Congress on Wednesday attacked Ghulam Nabi Azad for his comments against party leadership in his upcoming autobiography and in media statements.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused Azad of exchanging his loyalty in lieu of a "Lutyens' Bungalow", noting that it was the Congress which gave him all the posts to emerge as a big leader.
"The politician, who was supported by the Congress party, given almost all the top posts of the party, is is speaking against that party... he broke the trust of the party and when he left the party last year, he said 'I am free now', but after listening to his comments, it feels that he is (still a) Ghulam," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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