Divide in Congress: After Kapil Sibal, Sandeep Dikshit slams ‘arrogant leadership’

It appears to be a free-for-all in the Congress, five days after the party was trounced in assembly polls in five states.

Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal had argued that the Gandhi family should step away from leadership of the Congress in an interview to The Indian Express, which was published on Tuesday morning.

Not surprisingly, his comments evoked a furious response from other Congress leaders. Sibal is a member of the group called G23, a faction of leaders who have publicly argued for reforms in the Congress.

Later on Tuesday, former Congress MP and another G23 member Sandeep Dikshit criticised the party leadership and spoke in support of Sibal. Dikshit was quoted by News 18 as saying “The party is completely inactive. No decisions are taken. While the leadership is arrogant the coterie is not affected despite losing one election after the other... Most of these leaders are holding posts on compassionate grounds and are only bothered about own positions,” in an apparent reference to members of the Congress Working Committee.

“Kapil Sibal is right for raising the issue as these leaders could garner votes at one point in time. But now the party is not serious. Who is responsible for this debacle?” Dikshit told News 18. He even lampooned the recent meeting of the CWC. “These committees are like Delhi Transport Corporation bus. There is no dialogue or introspection in these,” Dikshit said.

Following Sibal's comments, Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Manickam Tagore lashed out at the former Union minister. He tweeted “Why the RSS and BJP wants Nehru-Gandhi's out of the leadership? Because without Gandhi's leadership Congress will be become Janata party. It's easy to kill Congress then it's easy to destroy the idea of India... Kapil Sibal knows it but why he is speaking the language of RSS/BJP.”

Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera also targeted Sibal, reminding him of his loss to Dr Harsh Vardhan of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Khera tweeted “@drharshvardhan did not ask you to step aside from Chandni Chowk. He fought an election and defeated you @KapilSibal. Those who want to lead @INCIndia are free to fight upcoming election for the position of party president instead of chanting everyday against current leadership.”