Azad can be big challenge for Rahul Gandhi like Eknath Shinde is for Uddhav: Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], August 27 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Saturday that Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit from the Congress can pose a big challenge for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as Eknath Shinde emerged for Uddhav Thackeray.
Ghulam Nabi Azad in his resignation letter on Friday targeted party leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, over the way the party is being run in the past nine years.
Rahul Gandhi has demolished all the consultative mechanism in Congress and the "remote control" culture that damaged the UPA was brought into the party, said Congress veteran leader.
In the letter, Azad also cited the reason for quitting the party that all the senior and experienced leaders were sidelined by a 'new coterie of inexperienced sycophants'.
"All senior and experienced leaders were sidelined and new coterie of Inexperienced sycophants started running the affairs of the Party," Azad said in his resignation letter.
Speaking to ANI, Athawale said, "Just like Eknath Shinde created a big challenge for Shiv Sena, similarly Ghulam Nabi Azad can also prove to be a big challenge for Rahul Gandhi and the allegations he has made on Rahul Gandhi are true."
He further requested Ghulam Nabi Azad to join National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
"I want to request Ghulam Navi Azad that he should come with NDA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bid a teary-eyed farewell to Ghulam Nabi Azad when his tenure was completed as Rajya Sabha MP. Narendra Modi loves you so you should come with NDA this is my request," said Athawale.
The Union Minister welcomed his decision to quit Congress and said Ghulam Nabi Azad got freedom after many years.
"When Ghulam Nabi Azad's term in Rajya Sabha was over, I told him that you should be with NDA and not with Congress. In Congress, he was not being respected, allegations were being made against him, so he left the party. He has left the party; it is a very good decision. I welcome his decision. I believe that Ghulam Nabi Azad got freedom after many years," he said.
Taking potshots at the Congress party, the Union Minister said that the charisma of the Gandhi family has completely collapsed, however, the public support for Narendra Modi is increasing continuously.
"Congress is not getting any benefit under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. The charisma of the Gandhi family has completely collapsed but the public support for Narendra Modi is increasing continuously. Congress party is falling apart. I think after Sharad Pawar a huge split can happen in Congress under the leadership of Ghulam Nabi Azad. If Azad forms a separate party, a lot of leaders will come to his party," he said.
He further said that with the support of MLAs of Jammu and Kashmir, who has resigned in support of him, Azad can form a new party, which can create a huge split in the Congress and the support base of the party is getting exhausted.
Taking about Manish Tewari's remake that the Union leader's resignation could have been avoided if the party's top leadership had heeded calls for introspection after multiple assembly poll losses, Athawale said, "Manish Tewari is a senior leader of Congress and is not taking his words too seriously. Congress party is not able to cope with strength as an Opposition party and it is not a good thing to challenge PM's leadership with such strong leadership. Rahul Gandhi's image is getting worse by always criticizing Narendra Modi. Manish Tewari's comment is absolutely correct that Congress party is not able to work seriously and Rahul Gandhi is not serious at all, so Congress party may suffer a huge loss." (ANI)