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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Hans Raj Bhardwaj outburst exposes dissidence in Congress ranks
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Hans Raj Bhardwaj outburst exposes dissidence in Congress ranks

Senior Congress leaders are concerned the leadership may be subjected to more such political attacks from people

A file photo of senior Congress leader Hans Raj Bhardwaj. Photo: HTPremium
A file photo of senior Congress leader Hans Raj Bhardwaj. Photo: HT

New Delhi: The recent outburst from Hans Raj Bhardwaj, a senior leader of the Congress party and a former minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, targeting the Gandhi family has put the spotlight on growing dissent within the party.

Senior Congress leaders are concerned the leadership may be subjected to more such political attacks from people, who are unlikely to find an active role in a party that is witnessing a generational shift under vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Bhardwaj, 78, in an interview published in The Indian Express on Thursday, said the senior leadership of the Congress was “not in a fit state of health to control" the powerful campaign and cadre of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading to a “virtual walkover" in the general election last year. In a personal attack, Bhardwaj, in reply to a question on whether Rahul Gandhi is the right person to lead the party, said: “Rahul is a young man. He has to lead the young people. But he is not in touch with the senior people, he doesn’t show any inclination. So he is out of touch."

This is however not the first time that the veteran, known to be a Gandhi family loyalist, has spoken against the party, particularly after the electoral rout of the Congress in the 16th general election, when the party managed to win only 44 seats—its lowest ever—in the 543-member Lok Sabha. In March, Bhardwaj said Congress president Sonia Gandhi was “in the grip of couple of sycophants and corrupt people" and alleged she “did not share responsibilities".

In November last year, he said Rahul Gandhi was “not capable of addressing a mass audience" and that he needs to “shape himself in such a way that he can take everyone along".

Senior party leaders feel his remarks may not be “politically damaging" to the party as yet.

“He has made some comments in the past too so it will not be of any political damage to us. But it is also a fact that he is known to be a Gandhi family loyalist and such comments are coming from a deep sense of personal grievance. While it varies from individual to individual, there will be more of such comments from leaders who do not find themselves in any active party role in the future," a senior party leader and former Union minister said, on condition of anonymity.

In the interview too, Bhardwaj said: “Unless you strengthen your cadre, bring back old people…how can you say old people will have no role? We have benefited from the party and we want to give back something. Don’t give any office to us. The young people should come up, but the old guard should also have a role."

Political analysts said statements like those of Bhardwaj are indicative of the fact that there is a large section of the old guard within the Congress which is unwilling to work under a new leadership.

“The old guards of the Congress are realizing that they have no role to play in emerging leadership. Their ideas do not match with Rahul Gandhi, and my sense is the moment he formally takes over as chief of the party, such voices would decrease," said Abhay Kumar Dubey, a New Delhi-based political analyst with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.

Dubey added that the situation becomes more difficult for the Congress because it is in the opposition and does not have any posts that it can offer to the old guard.

PTI contributed to this story.

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Published: 03 Jul 2015, 12:40 AM IST
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