NEW DELHI: Still recovering from the shock of rebel Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s attack on Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Congress was on Saturday besieged by a fresh round of tongue-lashing by party MP Manish Tewari, who called for “self-introspection” on account of a “crack” appearing between India and Congress, pointing to the deepening disconnect the party has with political ground realities.
Tewari, among the group of 23 dissident leaders who had first called for a structural overhaul of Congress, said, “A crack seems to have appeared in the coordination between India and Congress that existed since 1885. A self-introspection is needed. I feel that had the consensus of the meeting at Sonia’s residence on December 20, 2020 been executed, this situation wouldn’t have arrived.”

Though the fresh attack was hardly unexpected, the timing of Tewari’s comments further embarrassed a beleaguered Congress. Tewari, even as he refused to comment on Azad’s remarks, referred to Azad’s exit as “unfortunate, regrettable and avoidable” and proceeded to add his own insult to the injury inflicted on the party by Azad.

He said that it is “laughable” that “people who don’t have the capacity to fight a ward poll” and who worked as peons of Congress members are giving “gyaan”.

Even as the ex-Union minister said he was in no need of a “certificate of loyalty” after being party loyalist of 42 years, Congress chose to remain tight-lipped about his fresh outburst. Party sources, however, dismissed his comments as “nothing new”.