File Photo: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi with JKPCC President Ghulam Ahmad Mir addressing the media. (Press Trust of India)
Warning Congress leaders engaged in factionalism and anti-party activities of stern action, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has said that those who damage prospects of the party during elections do not deserve leniency.
"Those who damage the prospects of the party during elections do not deserve leniency," Mr Gandhi said during an interaction with state Congress leaders, district and block presidents and representatives of frontal organisations of the party in Jammu last night.
Flanked by senior Congress leader Ambika Soni and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Gulam Ahmed Mir, Mr Gandhi said, "Unlike in BJP, the Congress has the tradition of inner-party democracy and leaders and workers have the liberty to express their voices in an appropriate manner."
"Everyone has to understand the difference between inner-party democracy and indiscipline," he said, adding that "everyone in the party has to understand this in order to strengthen the party".
Mr Gandhi said, "Genuine and dedicated workers connected with the people at grassroots would be encouraged within the party while those who damage the prospects of the party during elections do not deserve leniency."
In July, Congress had suspended three senior leaders from the party for alleged anti-party activities. The trio - former state ministers Abdul Gani Vakil, Gulchain Singh Charak and Prem Sagar Aziz - were considered close to Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The decision was taken by the party's central disciplinary committee, headed by former Defence Minister AK Antony.
Responding to a question about the internal fight in party's Jammu and Kashmir unit, the Congress vice-president said he had not seen "this kind of energy" in Jammu so far and added that Congress was a democratic party.
"We believe in allowing people to speak unlike our opponent, the BJP where only one gentleman is allowed to speak, only one gentleman is allowed to say what he feels. Only one gentleman is allowed to make promises and only one gentleman who is allowed to break promises," the Congress Vice President said.
He later met a number of delegations representing different sections of society, including representatives from the industry, lawyers, displaced community, and farmers.
All India Youth Congress President Amrinder Singh Raja Brar was also present at the function.