A day after Maharashtra Congress functionary Shehzad Poonawalla alleged party’s presidential poll process had been “rigged” to favour Rahul Gandhi, the State Congress on Thursday dismissed Shehzad’s allegation as an effort to seek “cheap publicity” and his elder brother Tehseen Poonawalla said that he and his family members “have nothing to do” with Shehzad after the latter’s Wednesday’s comment.
Talking to mediapersons here, Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister and State Congress chief Ashok Chavan slammed Shehzad for lying on issues relating to the party’s impending presidential election involving Rahul Gandhi.
“True Congressmen do not make such remarks. I don’t think there is any truth in what Shehzad is saying. Moreover, he is not a Congressman. For two-and-a-half year, he has hardly been involved in party issues. Whatever he is saying or doing now is only to gain cheap publicity,” Chavan said.
“The process of the elections to the Congress President’s post has begun impartially. All Congress workers want Rahul Gandhi to contest the party’s presidential poll. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee has unanimously resolved that Rahul Gandhi should contest the party’s presidential poll,” the State Congress chief said.
“The Congress’ central election committee has already announced the presidential poll schedule. I see Shehzad’s statement is irresponsible and he has made the comment for publicity. We condemn his statement,” Chavan said.
Dubbing as “rigged” the process of the Congress presidential poll, Shehazad, a state party secretary, had on Wednesday created a major stir in national political circles, by saying that Rahul must resign his post as party’s vice president to lose the "unfair advantage" he has over other possible candidates.
Shehzad said he would also contest the election if it was conducted in a "genuine" manner. "I cannot contest a rigged election. If the system is genuine, then I will contest. It is a rigged election...it is a selection. Delegates who are going to vote for this election have not been elected as per the constitutional requirements. They have been handpicked," he had said.
Reacting to Shehzad’s outburst, his elder brother Tehseen Poonawalla had tweeted on Wednesday night: "I officially end all relationship with @Shehzad_Ind [Shehzad Poonawalla]. I have never been this hurt".
“This is unacceptable. Im very very hurt today. Been stabbed in the back. ..I love Shehzad to death. I got him up like my son. He backstabbed me.... Just heartbroken," Tahseen had tweeted.
Tahseen, who apart from being a Congress functionary is the brother-in-law of Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra, on Thursday elaborated on his earlier tweet, saying that after Shehzad’s comments, he, his wife and his mother had nothing to do with his brother (Shehzad).
Talking to a news agency in Bengaluru, Tahseen said: “Shehzad is somebody whom I brought up as my child after my father passed away. I was stunned when I heard him and read his tweets last night. He never discussed with me, m wife or my mother about what he was up to. Any grievances Shehzad had in the party can be brought up in the inter-party forum. There is no need to go to the media and bring out these things”.
"I formally and firmly declare in front of the media - my wife, my mother and I have nothing to do with Shehzad Poonawalla; we refuse to be associated with him. This is totally unacceptable to us,” he said.
“This is simply because at this point of time, we need to strengthen those forces that can defeat the BJP. Because five more years of BJP rule, our Constitution will be over. And the only party that can take on the BJP is the Congress and its allies. The need to strengthen Congress means we need to strengthen Rahul Gandhi and other leaders,” Tahseen said.