After Azad, Telangana Congress leader MA Khan quits, blames Gandhi
Trouble seems to be far from over for the Congress as another party leader MA Khan resigned on Saturday, this time in Telangana. Khan, a former Rajya Sabha member, sent a letter to senior Congress leaders accusing Rahul Gandhi of his exit and claiming that the party had failed to persuade the public of Gandhi's leadership.
Why does this story matter?
Khan's resignation comes barely a day after Ghulam Nabi Azad's departure dealt a significant blow to the Congress. Khan's association with the grand old party is four-decade long, and dates back to his college days. Political analysts say that the departure of prominent leaders one after the other will harm the party a great deal ahead of the 2024 general elections.
What did Khan say in his resignation?
"The senior leaders are forced to resign from the party because the top leadership is not making any attempts to reactivate the party's grassroots cadres," Khan said adding that present leadership lacks commitments like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, and Rajeev Gandhi. "Given the situation, I had no choice but to decide to stop participating in the party's operations," he said.
Blamed Rahul Gandhi for the downfall
Khan also blamed Rahul Gandhi for the deteriorating situation soon after his resignation from the party. "I resigned from Congress... things started going downhill after Rahul Gandhi handled the post of Vice President (VP) of the party committee," he told ANI. "He has a different thought process of his own, which doesn't match with any member, from block level to booth level," he added.
Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' may hit a roadblock
Several high-profile figures, including Khan, have left Congress this year following the growing dissent within the party cadres. On Friday, Azad resigned from all posts in the Congress party, including main membership. The developments come as the Congress prepares for its Bharat Jodo Yatra, a 148-day march beginning on September 7 from Kashmir to Kanyakumari under the supervision of Gandhi.
Veterans quitting important positions or the party
Congress has been engulfed in apparent infighting, with prominent politicians resigning one by one. Jaiveer Shergill resigned from the party on Wednesday, claiming that its decision-making is now dominated by "self-interests." Previously, Anand Sharma resigned as the party's Himachal Pradesh unit's steering committee head. Previously, in May, Kapil Sibal and Sunil Jakhar left the party.
