"Talk to him": Tharoor on former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad's "no internal democracy in Congress" remark

Kochi (Kerala) [India], January 25 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor declined to comment on controversial remarks made by former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad against the party leadership, saying it was not appropriate to discuss such matters publicly.
"I cannot comment on everybody else's statements. I think if Shakeel Sahab has said this, talk to him. He can speak for himself. I do not think it's appropriate for me to discuss any of these issues in public," Tharoor told ANI when asked about Ahmad's allegations.
Tharoor's response comes amid growing political chatter about possible internal differences within the Congress, with some reports suggesting tension between him and the senior party leadership, including Rahul Gandhi. However, Tharoor has consistently maintained a cautious and restrained public posture on internal party matters.
The controversy was triggered after Shakeel Ahmad, who recently parted ways with the Congress, launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of sidelining senior leaders and undermining internal democracy within the party.
"There is no internal democracy in the Congress party. In the Congress party, whatever Rahul Gandhi says is final," Ahmad alleged while speaking with ANI.
Claiming that Gandhi was uncomfortable working with veteran leaders, Ahmad said, "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 those who don't think of him as their boss."
He further alleged that Gandhi harboured a sense of superiority due to his Nehru-Gandhi lineage and was attempting to reshape the party by promoting younger leaders over the established 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," Ahmad claimed.
Dr. Shakeel Ahmad had alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is "uncomfortable" with senior leaders and wants to replace them with young, loyal voices. Ahmad also claimed Gandhi is the "most insecure leader" in Indian politics, citing his inability to win Amethi, a seat once held by his family.
The former leader also suggested that many senior Congress figures were unhappy but remained silent to safeguard the political future of their families.
"There are many leaders in Congress who are disappointed, but their next generation has joined Congress. So they are in Congress even after facing humiliation," he said. (ANI)