Imran Masood backtracks from Priyanka Gandhi remark, says Rahul Gandhi is the leader

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Imran Masood said Rahul Gandhi is the acknowledged leader of the party, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's, issuing a clarification after a remark of his - "if Priyanka was the PM, Hindus would not have faced persecution in Bangladesh like today" - triggered a row.

Masood explained that he was asked a question about Priyanka in context of Bangladesh, and he centered his response around it. "Rahul Gandhi is leader of Congress, and he is also the leader of Priyanka... Rahul and Priyanka are grandchildren of Indira Gandhi. If they had the command, Hindus in Bangladesh would not have faced the situation that they are facing now (while BJP is in office). That's all I said."


The clarification, apparently after a prod from All India Congress Committee, sought to address the confusion that Masood's response caused, being grabbed by BJP and TV headlines - which called it opposition party's lack of confidence in Rahul. As if complementing Masood's remark, PTI quoted Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra as saying that "Priyanka has a bright future in politics, and a time will come when people would like to see her at the top office."

Masood also slammed senior party functionary Shashi Tharoor over the latter's praise for "Bihar's model of development", calling the LS member from Kerala directionless: "He is at a stage in life where he is lost. He is with Congress and talks about BJP. BJP has no future in Kerala, what will he do?"

Earlier, Masood had said, "Is Priyanka Gandhi the Prime Minister? Make her the PM and see how she will retaliate like Indira Gandhi. She is the granddaughter of Indira, who inflicted so much damage on Pakistan that those wounds still haven't healed."

Seizing upon the issue, BJP spokesman Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Congress MP Imran Masood has clearly said he does not have faith in Rahul anymore and sought to bring Priyanka in his place. Then an endorsement to this came from Robert Vadra, who said, 'Yes, it is correct'."

Congress is wary of "Rahul vs Priyanka" headlines, realising that overzealous supporters of the Gandhi siblings end up offering an opportunity to rival BJP.

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