Ghulam Nabi Azad can be a 'big challenge' for Rahul Gandhi as Eknath Shinde was for Uddhav Thackeray: Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also requested Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit Congress on Friday, to be a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

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New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Saturday (August 27, 2022) said that Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit from the Congress can pose a big challenge for its leader Rahul Gandhi as Shiv Sena rebel MLA Eknath Shinde emerged for former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Ramdas 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 also requested the veteran leader 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," he said.

‘आजाद को बहुत सालों बाद मिली आजादी’।

‘गुलाम नबी अब नहीं रहे राहुलवादी,
अब उनको मिल गयी सही आजादी।

जम्मू कश्मीर की खुश है दादी,
राहुल गांधी की छीन ली है गादी।
गुलाम नबी आझाद जी ने बीजेपी या आरपीआय मे आते है तो स्वागत है!

— Dr.Ramdas Athawale (@RamdasAthawale) August 27, 2022

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.

Congress party is falling apart

Taking potshots at Congress, Athawale said that the charisma of the Gandhi family has completely collapsed and 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.

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, Atahwale said.

Ghulam Nabi Azad slams Rahul Gandhi for 'demolishing' all consultative mechanism in Congress 

Earlier on Friday, Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from Congress and targeted the party leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, over the way the grand old party is being run in the past nine years. 

The veteran leader, in his five-page resignation letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, slammed Rahul for "demolishing" all the consultative mechanism in Congress and the "remote control" culture that damaged the UPA was brought into the party, 

He 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 a new coterie of Inexperienced sycophants started running the affairs of the Party," Azad told Sonia Gandhi.