Congress frowns at comments by senior party leaders

While Digvijay Singh blamed Rahul Gandhi's lack of media presence for Congress' loss, Janardan Dwivedi had advocated leaders above 70 should give way to the young

With a multitude of voices emerging from the party on issues that are at variance with the party line, the Congress today officially condemned the remarks and asked certain senior leaders to focus on strengthening the party instead. While Digvijay Singh had commented on the party Vice President Rahuk Gandhi's lack of media visibility contributing to the Congress' loss in the war of perception; senior leader Janardan Dwivedi had advocated that leaders above 70 should make way for the young.

From the official AICC podium spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi stated that Digivijay Singh's comment were "not appropriate". He added, "This may be his personal view. But this is certainly not the time to advise each other through the media rather than focussing on strengthening the party by working collectively.... It is not appropriate".

Singh, who was considered to be close to Gandhi, had raised quite a few eyebrows when he remarked that unlike Narendra Modi, who used the media to the hilt, Rahul Gandhi's silence on critical issues had contributed to the party's loss in the "war of perception". He had said the party vice-president should be "more visible and heard more" to bring the Congress back on the path of revival.

AICC general secretary Madhusudan Mistry a close aide of Rahul Gandhi came out strongly against the two leaders. "Those who have easy accessibility to Congress President and Congress Vice President and who were and are party to the decision making process regarding elections and who express their concerns without any fear...then why should they go to the press to tell all this." He added, "They can meet the top leaders and tell them directly. Matter ends there. Telling media does not solve problems", Mistry said.

Rejecting Dwivedi's comments that septuagenarians should take a backseat, Mistry said it was the "prerogative" of the party chief whether an office bearer should be of sixty years of age or forty and therefore it should be nobody's business to suggest that one should retire after a certain age.

Congress spokesperson Singhvi also condemned the remarks of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan that Rahul Gandhi's reluctance to join the Union Cabinet cost the party. Singhvi wondered what was new as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had time and again requested Gandhi to become a Minister. "It is an old and known view".

The Congress has frowned upon senior leaders attempt to go public with their views especially at a time when the party is confronting its poorest electoral verdict.