Gandhi Family Decides Congress Presidential Election: Shakeel Ahmad

Former Congress leader and ex-Union minister Shakeel Ahmad has made explosive claims about the 2022 Congress presidential election, asserting that the outcome was predetermined by the Gandhi family’s support. Ahmad stated that when he witnessed Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi backing Mallikarjun Kharge’s candidature, the election result became inevitable.

Gandhi Family’s Decisive Role

Ahmad revealed that despite wanting to vote for Shashi Tharoor, the visible support extended to Mallikarjun Kharge by the Gandhi family made it clear who would ultimately win. Kharge secured a decisive victory with 7,897 votes against Tharoor’s 1,072 votes out of approximately 9,500 party delegates participating in the internal poll. According to Ahmad, “whoever the family supports will win,” underscoring the Gandhi family’s overwhelming influence within Congress.

Actual Power Structure Questioned

Ahmad challenged the formal power structure, claiming that while Kharge holds the president’s post on paper, real authority rests with Rahul Gandhi. He suggested that Rahul remains behind the scenes to avoid accountability for the party’s electoral losses. Ahmad also criticized Rahul Gandhi as “insecure,” alleging he sidelines senior leaders with independent influence while promoting younger leaders aligned with him.

The ex-leader’s comments have intensified the BJP’s attack on Congress leadership. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla seized on Ahmad’s statements to criticize Rahul Gandhi’s leadership style, claiming it exposes the party’s internal democratic failures.

Ahmad’s criticisms highlight growing tensions within Congress and raise serious questions about the party’s democratic processes and decision-making structure.