'Plan To Attack My Residence': Ex Congress Leader Shakeel Ahmad, Who Called Rahul Gandhi 'Darpok', Claims Threat To Life

New Delhi: Former Congress MP Shakeel Ahmad, who called senior leader Rahul Gandhi a 'darpok' (coward) and an insecure politician, claimed threats to his life on Monday.

Sharing screenshots of a WhatsApp message, the veteran Bihar leader, a three-time MLA and two-term MP, claimed he received "secret" warnings from within the Congress party regarding a coordinated strike. 

Ahmad alleged that the national leadership has directed operatives to target his Patna and Madhubani residences this Tuesday, using effigy-burning protests as a cover for a physical attack.

“Just now, some Congress colleagues have secretly informed me that the national leadership of the Congress has issued orders to the Bihar Congress / Youth Congress that tomorrow, on 27 January, an attack should be carried out on my residences in Patna and Madhubani under the pretext of burning an effigy," Ahmad wrote in a post on X late Monday night.

Taking to X, he said “This is against the principles of democracy.”

To support his claims, Ahmad, in a separate post, released a screenshot of a WhatsApp group conversation. In the chat, an individual is seen mobilising other members to burn Ahmad’s effigies, citing his public criticism of Rahul Gandhi as the reason for the protest.

“Now my information has been proven absolutely correct. Many thanks to the old associates of Congress. There is a saying in our Bihar: Old friends are the ones who come in handy. Is this happening without Rahul ji’s orders?", he asked.

Why the uproar?

The controversy began on Saturday, when Shakeel Ahmad launched a scathing attack on the Congress party’s leadership style. Ahmad alleged that there is "no internal democracy" left in the party, claiming that whatever Rahul Gandhi says is treated as final.

The former Union Minister lashed out at Rahul Gandhi, claiming the latter is "uncomfortable" in collaborating with popular, veteran leaders.

"There are many leaders in Congress who have been politicians long before Rahul Gandhi became one. The day Rahul Gandhi ji won his first election, I won my fifth election. I believe he is uncomfortable sitting with people who don't see him as their boss. I have felt this for a long time, but when you stay in party you don't say such things," Ahmad said.

He also alleged that Rahul Gandhi has a sense of superiority because of his Nehru-Gandhi lineage.

He further added that Gandhi had kept the youth Congress and NSUI together to "throw out" the senior leadership. 

"Rahul Gandhi has kept the youth Congress and NSUI together as he wants to throw the senior established leaders out of the Congress party and replace them with leaders of the youth Congress and those who speak well of Rahul Gandhi," he said.

The former leader said that many Congress leaders who are "disappointed" do not raise their voices because they want to secure their next generation's future in the party.

BJP VS Congress

Taking advantage of Ahmad's remarks, the BJP launched a scathing attack on Congress, with party leader Pradeep Bhandari claiming that this is the "start of a massive internal revolt" against the Gandhi-Vadra family. 

Pradeep Bhandari said, “This is the start of a massive internal revolt inside the Congress party against the Gandhi-Vadra family...The Congress party has become an anti-national party in the eyes of the public...There is no 'vote chori' which is taking place, the Congress today is branded as an anti-national party in the minds of the people of the nation.” 

BJP's National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi. 

"A very senior leader, who was also a minister, Shakeel Ahmed, says that Rahul Gandhi is the most cowardly and immature person, and that Rahul Gandhi doesn't like anyone who doesn't treat him like a boss. That's why he sidelined many senior leaders who worked with Sonia Gandhi. He sidelines anyone who talks about the national interest or the party's interest," he said.

"Whether it's Shakeel Ahmed, Tariq Anwar, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, or Kumari Selja, all of them are saying that they lost not because of vote rigging, but because of internal weaknesses. But Rahul Gandhi, to save himself, repeatedly blames the Election Commission," he added.

Congress leader Manickam Tagore hit back, calling Ahmad a “betrayer” and “Jaichand”. “I am not shocked. Just saddened, yet again,? by how betrayal becomes loud when courage walks the longest road,” Tagore wrote on X, adding that such attacks were about “TV time, relevance and pleasing new masters”.

Who is Shakeel?

Ahmad, a former Union Minister and AICC General Secretary who departed the Congress following the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, further alleged that Rahul Gandhi has systematically marginalized senior party veterans. He specifically pointed to the 2022 internal presidential elections, claiming they were manipulated to ensure a victory for Mallikarjun Kharge over other contenders.

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