Stop focussing on one’s bloopers: Anil Antony’s advice to Cong amid Rahul disqualification

Anil's taunt at Rahul, though without mentioning the latter's name, comes two months after he quit as the Congress' digital media cell's convener in Kerala. Screengrab: Manorama News

New Delhi: While the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a member of parliament has invited condemnation from across the opposition political spectrum, the party found a strange critic in its former functionary Anil K Antony.

Anil, the son of former defence minister and Congress veteran A K Antony, on Friday asked the party to 'stop focussing on the gaffes and bloopers of an individual and work on the issues' if it wants to survive.

"The plight of Indian National Congress from 2014, especially post 2017 is a sad case study. The party ideally should stop focussing on the gaffes and bloopers of an individual and work on the issues of the country. Else won’t exist beyond 2024," Anil wrote on Twitter, retweeting a statement by Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh saying the party will fight the action against Rahul both legally and politically.

The BJP came to power under Narendra Modi for the first time in 2014 after dislodging a Congress-led dispensation. In 2017, Rahul took over as Congress president. He quit the party's presidency in 2019 taking moral responsibility for the party's successive drubbing in general elections that year.

Anil's taunt at Rahul, though without mentioning the latter's name, comes two months after he quit as the Congress' digital media cell's convener in Kerala.

He severed his ties with the party after a tweet by him questioning his party's stand on the BBC's documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots created a controversy.

Anil had faced the wrath of Congress workers after his tweet on BBC. His latest tweet has also invited sharp criticism from Congress supporters.

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