Party people are involved in conspiracy to finish off Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Shiv Sena alleged (File)
The letter written by 23 senior Congress leaders to Sonia Gandhi over their demand for a "full time" party president is a "conspiracy to finish off Rahul Gandhi's leadership", the Shiv Sena has alleged.
An editorial in the party's mouthpiece Saamana sought to know where these leaders were when the BJP indulged in "below the belt attacks" on Rahul Gandhi, and why did they not take up the challenge to revive the party after he quit as the Congress president.
"When people from within are involved in the national conspiracy to finish off Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the party is sure to meet its 'panipat' (defeat)... these old guards have sabotaged Rahul Gandhi internally, a damage which even the BJP hasn't inflicted on him," it said.
None of them are even district-level leaders, but have become chief ministers and Union ministers riding on the leadership of the Gandhi-Nehru family, the Sena, which tied-up with the Congress and NCP to form government in Maharashtra last year after a fallout with the BJP, said.
"In all states, the (Congress) heavyweight leaders are interested only in their position and not of the party. If they don't have their way, they shift to the BJP. This is the only activeness they show. What can Rahul and Sonia Gandhi do about it? This is a new political coronavirus," it said.