Congress District Unit In UP Targets Jitin Prasada After 'Dissent' Letter; Kapil Sibal Calls It 'Unfortunate'

Jitin Prasada, a former union minister, was among the signatories to the letter that sought an active and full-time party president.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 27 August 2020 2:34 pm

The rift within the Congress on the leadership issue, as was underlined by a recent letter written by top leaders to Sonia Gandhi, is not yet over. Senior party leader Kapil Sibal, who was among those who wrote the letter seeking organisational overhaul, on Thursday alleged that party leader Jitin Prasada is being targeted in Uttar Pradesh and termed it as "unfortunate".

Prasada, a former union minister, was among the signatories to the letter that sought an active and full-time party president. Prasad is also a special invitee to the CWC.

"Unfortunate that Jitin Prasada is being officially targeted in UP. Congress needs to target the BJP with surgical strikes instead of wasting its energy by targeting its own," Sibal said on Twitter.

Reacting to it, another Congress leader, Manish Tewari who was also a signatory to the letter, posted a single word "Prescient" on Twitter. This was, in turn, retweeted by Prasada.

Prescient! https://t.co/jgLhFRK9DX
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) August 27, 2020

The Lakhimpur Kheri District Congress reportedly passed a resolution demanding action against Prasada, a leader from Uttar Pradesh, and has accused his family of being against the Gandhi family.

Jitendra Prasada, the father of Jitin Prasada, had also unsuccessfully contested for the post of Congress president against Sonia Gandhi in the past, the DCC reportedly said.

The charge comes three days after the Congress Working Committee urged Sonia Gandhi to continue as party president and bring about organisational changes. The CWC was convened to discuss the leadership issue and the letter written by over 20 leaders on the issue.

The signatories of the letter were dissed at a stormy Congress Working Committee meeting over their letter seeking urgent organisational reforms. Following this, several members of the 'group of 23' said on Tuesday they are "not dissenters" but "proponents of revival". Many of them also backed Sonia Gandhi remaining at the helm.

The letter was not a challenge to the leadership but a parchment of action to strengthen the party, Congress MP Vivek Tankha said. Former Union minister Mukul Wasnik said those who saw the letter as an "offence" will also soon realise that the issues raised are worth consideration.

(With PTI Inputs)