Congress suspends Rajasthan MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma over attack on Rahul Gandhi

JAIPUR: In an action against a second Congress leader this week for criticising Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma was today suspended from the party, a day after he dubbed him 'MD of a team of jokers'.

"Sharma has been suspended by the PCC chief on a direction by the AICC General Secretary in-charge Gurudas Kamat," PCC spokesperson Archna Sharma said. T H Mustafa, a Congress leader from Kerala, was suspended on Thursday.

Sharma had yesterday attacked the leadership of Rahul, saying he was directionless and surrounded by advisers who lack political understanding.

Calling Rahul an 'MD of the Congressi Circus', Sharma had said party President Sonia Gandhi should shift her focus towards strengthening and restructuring the party in a democratic manner instead of showing affection for Rahul.

"The people who are around him (Rahul) are jokers. He is the MD of a team of jokers," Sharma told reporters.

"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 had told PTI.

When contacted, Sharma today said that he was not aware whether he was suspended but said he did not care about the action.

"I am not bothered about the action. I was right in saying that Rahul is surrounded by such advisors who have no ground, no support and they all were responsible for the party defeat. The way the party is functioning now is very unfortunate," he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Rameshwar Lal Dudi did not respond to calls despite repeated attempts.

A six-time MLA, Sharma represents Sardarshahar constituency in the Rajasthan assembly, in which Congress has 21 MLAs, including him.

In 2013 Assembly elections, BJP stormed to power with winning 163 out of 200 seats.

In Kerala, Mustafa was suspended for his remark that Rahul depended on a coterie close to him during the Lok Sabha campaign and that "acting like a joker" would not help in elections.

Mustafa, a five-time Congress MLA and former minister for civil supplies, also called for the removal of Rahul from all party posts and demanded his sister Priyanka Gandhi be made the new leader.