Major rift in Congress: Surjewala chides Sandeep Dikshit after naming-shaming spree

After Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit recently questioned the senior leadership within the party, media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala while addressing a press briefing said that all the leaders should introspect over the Delhi election result.

While Surjewala admitted to not having heard the statement made by Dikshit, he still launched a veiled attack on him by indirectly saying that he should work harder in his constituency. Surjewala openly said that Dikshit, the son of later former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, should dedicate less effort to put things out on social media.  

Randeep Singh Surjewala reacts to Dikshit’s statements 

Reacting to Sandeep Dikshit, Surjewala said, "I have not heard Sandeep Dikshit’s statement. But I want to repeat this for him and all the leaders in Delhi, we all need to introspect on the Delhi election result. How many votes have we got after contesting the elections? We also need to think about why we lost the election including me. Sandeep Ji is putting a lot of efforts in talking, putting things on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc. He is very wise, competent and he is older to me. He is like my older brother.” 

Read: Sandeep Dikshit Backs Rahul Gandhi; Questions 'huge Internal Security Lapse' In Pulwama

“But if he puts all of those efforts in a constituency of Delhi. If he works as hard as he used to work during late CM Sheila Dikshit’s regime, I am sure we will win the elections. That is why, it's my request to all of my friends, brothers and sisters that they should not give free advice to the nation. They should start working in their constituencies,” Surjewala added.  

Read: BJP hits out at Rahul Gandhi's Pulwama remarks, warns, "Stop defaming our country"

Sandeep Dikshit’s comment 

Sandeep Dikshit had recently made a few assertions about his party and took the names of the leaders while talking about the senior leadership. He stated that he was feeling dismayed by the senior leaders of Congress and requested them to come up. He urged the senior leaders in Rajya Sabha, former CMs and current CMs of a few states to go an extra mile. He took names like Captain Amarinder Singh, Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath, P Chidambaram, AK Anthony, Salman Khurshid and Ahmed Patel during the interview. He urged all of the senior members to get involved in the leadership selection process for the Congress party. The Congress will likely end up spending 10 years without a MLA in the Delhi Assembly after failing to register a single seat in the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls.

Read: Cong confused? Party targets PM Modi on Pulwama while Adhir Chowdhury calls for restraint

Tharoor support Dikshit  

After Sandeep Dikshit made a clarion call, a few hours ago, RS member Shashi Tharoor was tweeting in his support. “What Sandeep Dikshit said openly is what dozens of party leaders from across the country are saying privately. Including many with responsible positions in the Party. I renew my appeal to CWC to hold leadership elections to energise workers & inspire voters,” tweeted Tharoor.  

Read: Rahul listening? Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury appeals for pledge to not play politics on Pulwama