'Team Rahul vs Team Priyanka': BJP alleges 'internal rift' within Congress; cites Odisha MLA's appeal to Sonia Gandhi

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday claimed that tensions between ‘Team Rahul’ and ‘Team Priyanka’ within the Congress are now “out in the open” after a party MLA from Odisha wrote to Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi, urging the removal of party president Mallikarjun Kharge on the grounds that “age is not on his side.

” Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim suggested that younger leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, should be given greater prominence."Team Priyanka vs team Rahul out in the open now Internal rift in Congress out! Senior Congress leader from Odisha writes to Sonia Gandhi: Says 'Kharge Hatao ,Priyanka Lao; Hits out at state and central leadership.' He notes a 'deep and growing disconnect' between the Congress leadership and Indian youth, saying that under the current leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, who is 83, the party has been unable to resonate with the youth," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X.

Earlier, Moquim, the Congress legislator from Odisha's Cuttack, told news agency ANI, "The party is going through a difficult phase and needs her advice and new leadership... Age is not on AICC (All India Congress Committe) president Mallikarjun Kharge's side... We should bring forward young leaders. I know that Sonia ji and the CWC (Congress Working Committee) members will definitely discuss this."

The veteran politician has been Congress president since October 2022, when he defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.

One of the party’s senior-most leaders, he succeeded Sonia Gandhi, who had been serving in an interim capacity since 2019 after Rahul Gandhi stepped down following the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha elections. She is the longest-serving Congress chief, leading the party from 1998 to 2017, before making way for her son.On the other hand, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra formally entered politics only in January 2019 and currently serves as a general secretary. Her recent Lok Sabha speech on the national song Vande Mataram drew wide appreciation, while her brother’s address on electoral reforms—during which he reiterated his allegations of 'vote chori' against the Election Commission and the ruling BJP—was sharply countered by Union home minister Amit Shah.