New Delhi: The rift within the Congress party has come to the fore as the war of words between Congress 'dissenters' and it's 'loyalists' continues further.
On Thursday, senior Congress leader and Haryana state in-charge, Vivek Bansal, slammed the G23 leaders by saying that their actions show their 'true intentions' and their 'vested interests' as they are making such statements for 'lucre of power'. He even claimed that the G23 is shrinking day by day.
Recently, 8 of the G23 leaders went to Jammu to show their strength, where they made several controversial statements, irking the other party members for going against the party discipline. However, even after that, it has been reported that these dissenters are now planning for another event in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
While speaking to ETV Bharat, Bansal, who is the state in-charge of the Haryana Congress said, "G23 is now shrunk to G6 and further it may be further shrunk to G2 or G3. I've heard that they are planning something in Kurukshetra, but I've serious doubts about that. This would not happen in Kurukshetra."
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A number of leaders raised serious concerns over the statements and actions of dissenters just ahead of the Assembly polls in 5 states. While Ghulam Nabi Azad praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu, Kapil Sibal had openly attacked Congress during a public rally. Meanwhile, Congress in its official stand had urged these leaders to focus on the states which are going under polls in the upcoming days.
When asked about the matter, Vivek Bansal replied, "This reflects their intentions. As far as the voters are concerned, they are very wise. Before taking any decision, they would look into their credentials, what have been their past, what are their political ground, had they been any mass leader? They have been brought by the Congress party all through their lives. Their political ground is zero."
In an indirect attack on Senior Congress leader and one of the members of G23, Anand Sharma, who had tweeted against the Congress decision of alliance with ISF in West Bengal, Bansal said, "I had an in-charge of Himachal as well and I've seen how the people look at the Gentleman mentioned, comprising this group. I don't think it's going to impact the assembly elections in 5 states. People are able to see through their designs, their vested interests, what their selfish motives are. People are able to see that they are lucre for power or getting their renomination for Rajya Sabha, is the force behind this and nothing beyond that."
Replying to ETV Bharat's question on disciplinary action against these leaders, Bansal said, "That is for the high command to decide. But definitely, I think it's a breach of discipline. Once we are in the thick of a political battle, at such point of time, these discordant notes or indiscipline act need not be brooked or need not be tolerated."
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Another Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid also launched an attack over the G23 leaders, asking them through an 'open letter' if they were changing their goalposts and whether it was pair on their part to kick the ladder that they climbed to reach the top storey of life.
He also stated in his letter that the "Gumnam of Congress too care about democracy," adding that the growing dark footprint of communal forces has pushed the party into "forced errors" of becoming self-conscious.
