Kharge Is There To 'Run' Congress, Our 'Leader' Is Gandhi Family, Says Khurshid. BJP Hits Back

Congress leader Salman Khurshid earlier this week strirred a row by likening party leader Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram.

Former Union minister Salman Khurshid kicked up a row after he said in an interview that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was only there to "run" the party, and the leader would always remain the "Gandhi family". The remark by Khurshid was quickly pounced upon by BJP, with spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asking if Kharge was a "remote-control president" or a "rubber stamp president".

"Our leader is the Gandhi family and will remain so. (Mallikarjun) Kharge is there to run the party, who would focus only on party work," Khurshid said in an interview with a Hindi daily.

The BJP launched an attack on the Congress, saying the party believes in sycophancy and dynasty. BJP's Gaurav Bhatia said the Congress president had no authority to take decisions.

"Congress believes in dynasty. No matter who becomes Congress president, according to Salman Khurshid, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be in charge. Should we call Mallikarjun Kharge a remote control president or rubber stamp president?" ANI quoted Bhatia as saying.

READ | ‘If Rahul Gandhi Is Lord Ram, Congress Leaders Should Roam Around Naked’: BJP MP

On October 19, Mallikarjun Kharge was elected as the new Congress President after he received 7,897 votes, while his rival Shashi Tharoor managed to secure only 1,072.

Ever since Kharge was elected to the post of Congress chief, BJP has alleged that the "remote control" of the party would be with Sonia Gandhi.

Earlier this week, Salman Khurshid strirred a row by likening party leader Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram and described him as "superhuman" and a "yogi doing tapasya".

Talking to reporters on Monday, Khurshid, who is the Uttar Pradesh coordinator of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', had stated, "Rahul Gandhi is superhuman. While we are freezing in the cold and wearing jackets, he is going out in a T-shirt (for the Bharat Jodo Yatra). He is like a yogi, he has called himself so, doing his 'tapasya' (penance) with focus".

Drawing a parallel with Lord Ram and his brother Bharat, Khurshid had said: "Lord Ram's 'khadau' (wooden slipper) goes very far. Sometimes when Ram ji is not able to reach, Bharat takes his 'khadau' and goes to places. Like that, we have carried the 'khadau' in Uttar Pradesh".

"Now that 'khadau' has reached Uttar Pradesh. Ram ji will also come, this is our belief," Khurshid had said. The remarks saw a sharp retort by BJP and protests were also held against Khurshid in several places in Uttar Pradesh.