Congress plays down growing attacks on Rahul Gandhi for poll debacle

NEW DELHI: Congress today tried to play down the attacks against its Vice President Rahul Gandhi from within its Rajasthan and Kerala units over the party's dismal show in Lok Sabha polls saying the situation was "not serious".

"It is not a serious issue," a senior Congress leader said while questioning the stature of the 'people' who criticised the performance of Rahul. He said the state units are capable of handling such situation.

Bhanwar Lal Sharma, a Rajasthan MLA, today said party was in its worst days because of Rahul and suggested that party President Sonia Gandhi should focus on strengthening the party instead of having affection for her son.

"Rahul Gandhi is directionless and has no policy. He and his advisors are responsible for the party's embarrassment and defeat in elections as there is no huge mass support for him," Sharma told PTI in Jaipur.

Bickering had surfaced in a feedback meeting of Rajasthan Congress yesterday in Jaipur.

In the meeting, which was convened by RPCC president Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary and state in charge Gurudas Kamat and co-in charge Mirza Irshad Baig, some leaders publicly held the state's former Congress government responsible for the party's defeat.

Udailal Anjana, who contested the Lok Sabha elections in Jalore seat, told reporters that policies of the former government were responsible for the poor performance of the party in the elections.

Former Kerala minister TH Mustafa was on May 29 suspended from Congress for calling Rahul Gandhi a "joker" and saying he should be removed if he does not resign in the backdrop of the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

However, Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said that Rahul cannot be singled out for Congress' debacle.

"It is not proper to single out any particular leader for the debacle. The party takes collective responsibility in victory as well as defeat. The outcome of the elections has already been evaluated by the party in that sense," Chandy said in Thiruvananthapuram when his attention was drawn to voices against Rahul from the party's Kerala unit.