Former union minister and veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from all party positions, including its primary membership Friday, and held Rahul Gandhi responsible for Congress' downfall. I a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Azad called out Rahul Gandi for "glaring immaturity" and for "demolishing the consultative mechanism" in the party.
"Unfortunately, after the entry of Rahul Gandhi into politics and particularly after January 2013, when he was appointed Vice President by you, the entire consultative mechanism which existed earlier was demolished by him," Azad wrote.
Before starting a 'Bharat jodo yatra', the leadership should have undertaken a 'Congress jodo yatra', Azad remarked in his five-page letter.
The resignation by Azad has invited reactions from opposition leaders.
Jaiveer Shergill, who recently quit the Congress party said that the resignation shows "coterie culture' is thriving within the party and that leaders across age groups are "frustrated and disappointed"
"Now a senior leader is speaking about it becoming a club of PAs and security guards shows that leaders across age groups are frustrated and disappointed by this entire coterie culture that is thriving in Congress, said Jaiveer Shergill on Azad's resignation, as reported by ANI.
In reality, this cabal is working within Congress on 'Congress Todo Abhiyan', elbowing out all the well-meaning leaders. This letter speaks loudly of sentiments of thousands of well-meaning Congress workers who are troubled by this 'Darbari' culture, Jaiveer added.
Kuldeep Bishnoi, who also quit the Congress early in August and joined the BJP said that the party is in "self-destruction mode" and suggested that Rahul gandhi "quit his ego".
"It won't be wrong to say that Congress is in self-destruction, suicidal mode. I suggest Rahul Gandhi sets aside his ego....Ghulam Nabi Azad is welcome in BJP. If the party asks me, then I can persuade him to join the party," the BJP leader was quoted as msaying by ANI.