Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, initiated the Congress Party’s ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ in Bhopal on Tuesday, advocating for a comprehensive restructuring of the party’s leadership in Madhya Pradesh. He emphasised the necessity for underperforming leaders to step aside, allowing more dynamic individuals to assume pivotal roles.
Addressing party members at the state convention, Gandhi employed a metaphor to categorise party leaders: “racehorses” ready for electoral challenges, “wedding horses” suited for ceremonial roles, and “lame horses” who should retire. He stated, “The lame horses need to retire now, have fodder, water and relax and stop disturbing the race horses. If they continue disturbing, action is imminent.”
Gandhi’s remarks come in the wake of consecutive defeats for the Congress in the 2023 state assembly and 2024 general elections. He attributed these losses to internal discord and a lack of cohesive leadership. In a closed-door meeting with the Political Affairs Committee, he stressed the importance of unity and collective decision-making, asserting that future appointments, particularly of district presidents, would be based on merit and accountability.
During the convention, Semaria MLA Abhay Mishra expressed concerns over the absence of a strong leadership figure in the state. Gandhi responded by affirming the presence of capable leaders within the party, stating, “You may not see them, but I can identify at least 10 leaders who have the capability to form a government and lead in Madhya Pradesh.”
The ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ aims to revitalise the party’s grassroots structure. Gandhi highlighted the success of a similar initiative in Gujarat, where district-level assessments led to the identification of potential leaders. He announced plans to replicate this model in Madhya Pradesh, with the campaign’s execution set to commence on June 10.
In addition to internal reforms, Gandhi criticised the BJP-led central government over its stance on the caste census. He argued that conducting a caste census would expose economic disparities and challenge the BJP’s policies, stating, “If a caste census is conducted, the BJP’s Adani-Ambani model will collapse because the country will realise that 90 per cent of the population is not benefiting, while all the wealth is concentrated among 5 to 10 per cent of people.”
Gandhi also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he capitulated to external pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump during Operation Sindoor. He claimed, “Trump gave just a signal, picked up the phone and said, ‘Modi ji, what are you doing? Narendra, surrender.’ Saying ‘Yes, sir’, Narendra Modi obeyed Trump’s signal.”
The visit was not without controversy. A video surfaced showing Gandhi paying tribute to his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, while wearing shoes—a gesture that drew criticism from Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Yadav remarked, “He offered floral tributes to his grandmother and did not remove his shoes. This I didn’t like much because it is not in our culture. We need to give special attention to this.”
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