After senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh ruffled feathers, saying the grand old party was facing an 'existential crisis', he was joined by former union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, who also called for introspection and looking at reality, referring to serious setbacks.
In 2015, another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit had said the culture in the Congress party had become elitist and arrogance grows from it. "Our cadres are uncomfortable in such a situation," he had said. Soon after unleashing a fusillade, he was sidelined in the party.
Ramesh angered party's senior leaders a few days ago by saying that the Congress was facing an 'existential crisis'. He had also questioned the way party members were dealing with the current political fate of the Congress. "I would say that the Congress is facing an existential crisis. It is not an electoral crisis. The party really is in deep crisis," he had said to reporters.
The former environment minister had also said, "The Sultanate has gone, but we behave as if we are sultans still." Mani Shankar Aiyar, also a former minister in the UPA government, also called for an introspection within the Congress.
"What is more important than the expression Jairam used is what he said. He spoke about Congress needing new ideas new thoughts, new methods of working, new ways," said Aiyar. Congress MP M Veerappa Moily said Ramesh had "grossly crossed the limits of discipline in the party." Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit asked Ramesh to introspect within himself saying that he was also a part of sultanate.
PAST CRITICISM
- Jairam Ramesh had commented the Congress was facing an ‘existential crisis’ a few days ago, inviting ire from other Congress leaders.
- Another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, in 2015, has said the culture in the party had become elitist.
