Congress MP Imran Masood has stirred internal party dynamics by openly advocating for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to assume the role of Prime Minister, invoking her illustrious family lineage and drawing direct parallels to the assertive leadership style exhibited by her grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi, during critical national moments.
In a detailed interview with the ANI news agency, Masood emphatically suggested that elevating Priyanka Gandhi to the country's highest executive position would enable a robust response to international challenges, specifically referencing Indira Gandhi's historical actions against Pakistan that he claimed left enduring impacts, while positioning Priyanka as inheriting similar resolve and capability.
The remarks were made in the context of defending Priyanka Gandhi against BJP criticisms that she had not adopted a sufficiently strong stance on reported atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, following her recent social media post condemning the lynching of Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das and calling for governmental intervention to address rising violence against religious minorities there.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party seized upon Masood's statements as an opportunity to highlight perceived fractures within the Congress leadership, with national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla asserting in a press conference that the endorsement unequivocally demonstrates a widespread erosion of confidence in Rahul Gandhi's ability to lead the party effectively.
Poonawalla further alleged that the push for Priyanka Gandhi reflects a concerted effort among Congress figures—including purported backing from her husband Robert Vadra—to sideline Rahul Gandhi, framing it as evidence of not only lost public mandate but also diminishing internal support, thereby intensifying the ongoing political rivalry between the two major parties.
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