Sanjay Jha, who was suspended from the Congress in July for anti-party activities, has continued calls to reform and revive the party on the occasion of its foundation day on Monday.
Taking to Twitter, Jha used the context of the ongoing second Test match between India and Australia at Melbourne. At the end of day three of the Test, India, under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, appeared on the brink of victory, with Australia just two runs ahead and having four wickets in hand.
The performance at Melbourne comes after the first Test at Adelaide where India collapsed to its lowest Test score of 36 and suffered a humiliating defeat. Rahane took over as captain after Virat Kohli returned home after the Adelaide Test on paternity leave.
Jha wrote, "36 all out. Now on the verge of winning Melbourne Test match. A new leader. Something different. (And that does not mean that Virat Kohli is not good). Ajinkya Rahane leads from the front. He scores a century The 136 year old GOP can take inspiration. Change is good."
Responding to comments from Twitter users, Jha tweeted, "It [Congress] is a great party. But it has lost its mojo. A true Congressperson must work to revive it. Don’t wait for instructions. Just do it. Today. Now. "
On Monday, Jha told News 18 in an interview that the current leadership of the Congress "lacks the self-drive needed for a transformation". "Congress needs hunger, energy and ambition—the kind demonstrated by Indira Gandhi after the 1977 humiliation," Jha told News 18.
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Jha told News 18 that former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had good intentions, but faulted a "coterie" around him. "Rahul is a good human being and has noble intentions. He has enough political experience to have, by now, created a vision map for the party and India, but he rarely articulates them. This lack of accessibility and prolonged periods of hibernation have kept many in the Congress intrigued… He has been inconsistent. I think his biggest problem is a coterie that keeps him insulated and thus ignorant of political realities…” Jha told News 18.
Jha faulted Rahul for remaining absent on the 136th foundation day event of the Congress. "I can see that on Twitter people are ridiculing Rahul all over again. I am sure Rahul could have easily avoided this uncalled for bad publicity as it has not happened for the first time… His political brand has flattened, and such sporadic faux pas will damage it," Jha told News 18.
Jha praised Rahul's sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as being "sharp, tough as nuts, brilliant communicator and has a friendly disposition".
