'G23' Congress leaders took off Gandhi topi & wore saffron turban, remarks BJP's Anil Vij

After Ghulam Nabi Azad and several party leaders who were a part of the 'G23' travelled to Jammu and called for internal elections in the Congress, Haryana Minister Anil Vij has taken a dig at the party and Rahul Gandhi, by referring to the saffron turbans worn by Azad and the others. 

On Saturday, Jammu witnessed the Congress party's internal discord as a 'G23' group led by veteran leader Azad assembled to show their strength to the high command of the party, wearing saffron turbans.

Vij said, "G23 leaders of the Congress took off the Gandhi cap and wore saffron turbans. Rahul Gandhi tried to find pearls for the poor by leaping into the sea, yet they are not satisfied with it. What do they want from Rahul Gandhi?", referring to Rahul Gandhi jumping with the fishermen into the sea while campaigning in Kerala.

'G23' leaders unite, head to Jammu

Senior Congress leaders have been demanding a revamp of the party and have shown their dissent over the functioning of the party for a long time now. Last year on August, 23 Congress leaders jointly wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi demanding an organizational election within the Congress and seeking new leadership. After this, these issues were discussed in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee on January 22, but till now the issue has not been resolved. Along with Ghulam Nabi Azad, the following leaders visited Jammu:

• Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Former CM Haryana
• Kapil Sibal, MP, Rajya Sabha
• Anand Sharma, MP, Rajya Sabha
• Manish Tiwari, MP, Lok Sabha
• Akhilesh Prasad Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha
• Vivek Tankha, MP, Rajya Sabha

In the rally in Jammu, Anand Sharma said, "Congress has weakened in the last decade. Our voice is for the betterment of the party. It should be strengthened everywhere once again. The new generation should connect (to the party). We've seen good days of Congress. We don't want to see it weakening as we become older."

Kapil Sibal said, "The truth is that we see Congress party getting weak. That is why we have gathered here. We had gathered together earlier too and we have to strengthen the party together."

With a purported June 2021 deadline for polls, most Congress leaders have rallied around Rahul Gandhi, but the 'G23', which refers to the letter's 23 signatories, has demanded a 'transparent election'. Most of these leaders have been sidelined in the party by the Gandhi-Vadra family followers and this can be seen as none of them are involved in preparing for Assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry and Assam.

READ | Ghulam Nabi Azad Takes 'G23' Congress Delegation To Jammu; Making Point To Sonia Gandhi?

READ | Rahul Gandhi Says 'Congress Must Win 2/3rd Majority' In Polls To Avoid BJP's Govt Toppling

Azad quashes all rumours of him joining BJP 

Meanwhile, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi wept on Azad's retirement from the Parliament whilst narrating a tale of tragedy and loss when they were respectively the Chief Ministers of Gujarat and the erstwhile state of J&K, there was speculation that Azad might join BJP.  While addressing PCC, DCC functionaries, former legislators, and ministers at a function organized at party headquarters in Jammu, he brushed aside all the rumours, however. He clarified that he had not retired from politics and he would have joined the BJP during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure had he wanted to do so.

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READ | Ghulam Nabi Azad Says 'don't Sideline Us' As 'G23' Leaders Do Not Wish To See Cong Weak