Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 29 attacked the Congress and the Gandhis over Salman Khurshid’s statement that the party’s main leaders were from the family, saying the election to pick the party’s national president was nothing but a farce.
Speaking to ANI, the Assam CM said: “As I had said, the Gandhi family is still the supreme leader of the Congress party. Mallikarjun Kharge, despite being the national president of the party, has only a limited role.”
He alleged that the Congress presidential election was a ‘drama’.
“Salman Khurshid confirmed what I had been saying from the very first day, that all the power rests solely with the Gandhi family. The whole presidential elections was just a drama and the Congress only selected Kharge ji as a remote-control,” he said.
He further alleged that there was ‘no democracy’ in Congress.
“Some people were saying that the Congress represents internal democracy and change. But, the truth is that there is no democracy in the Congress party and power rests only with the Gandhi family,” Himanta Biswa Sarma added.
Earlier, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said Mallikarjun Kharge has an important role in the party, but the main leaders are from the Gandhi family.
“We have several leaders but the main leaders are from the Gandhi family. Kharge Ji is our national president. Mallikarjun Kharge has an important role in strengthening the organisation of the Congress party,” he said.
His statement drew criticism from the opposition, especially the BJP which said Kharge is only a rubber stamp, and the main power rests with the Gandhis.
