New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders on Sunday cited the remark made by historian Ramachandra Guha against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, to criticise the LoP. They referred to LoP Gandhi as a “major burden” on the grand old party.

A controversy erupted after Ramachandra Guha, in an article, said that Congress works like a “family firm”, referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

He questioned Rahul Gandhi’s leadership style, saying the LoP “lacks gravitas” and is “unable to learn from past mistakes”.

The row gains pace since Guha was once known to be close to the Congress leadership.

BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said: “First, the public rejected Rahul Gandhi; he has lost 99 elections. Then alliance partners rejected him. Then even leaders within the Congress party have said that he should be removed and Priyanka Gandhi should be brought in.”

He called Rahul Gandhi a “non-performing asset” and “liability” in terms of politics.

“From public to their own leaders, everyone has rejected him. He should find a different profession for himself,” he told IANS.

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain claimed that the Congress is unable to find a proper leadership and that it has “no future”.

“It’s not something new; people have believed for a long time that Rahul Gandhi is a major burden on the Congress party. Under his leadership, the Congress keeps losing elections,” he told IANS.

He added: “Sometimes due to our (BJP’s) anti-incumbency, the Congress comes to power in some places. This does not mean that the people like them.”

BJP MLA C. P. Singh said: “A person like Rahul Gandhi who does not know what and where to speak… since he is a member of the Gandhi family, Congress leaders are carrying his burden.”

JD-U Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said that given Ramchandra Guha’s closeness to the Nehru-Gandhi family, “this is a serious remark which has raised questions on Rahul Gandhi’s existence.”

“Congress leaders are stressed that under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, whether they will be able to retain the party’s rule in the few states where they are currently in power or not,” he told IANS.

Prasad said that Congress should take the statements made by intellectuals like Ramchandra Guha, seriously.

Citing Guha’s remark, Shiv Sena Spokesperson Krishna Hegde said that if the Congress wants to move ahead, it needs to find a leader outside the Nehru-Gandhi family.

–IANS

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