Pune, Feb 17 (NationPress) The BJP has launched a pointed critique against the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress, asserting that the party is encountering increasing dissent both internally and from its allies.

The BJP's comments arise amidst a renewed political upheaval within the Congress following veteran leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's public disavowal of Rahul Gandhi, declaring, “I am not a Rahulian.”

Aiyar also forecasted a third consecutive term for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and criticized leaders within his own party, igniting fresh discussions on Congress leadership and internal cohesion.

In response to these developments, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated to IANS that the Congress is experiencing escalating dissent not just from within but also among its alliances.

“Yesterday, Mani Shankar Aiyar moved a no-confidence motion against Rahul Gandhi. In Assam, several senior Congress leaders are reportedly contemplating leaving the party. The Trinamool Congress has also suggested the removal of Rahul Gandhi in favor of Mamata Banerjee to salvage the INDIA Bloc,” Poonawalla noted.

He further asserted that dissatisfaction with Rahul Gandhi extends beyond the Trinamool Congress.

“It’s not only the Trinamool Congress. Numerous Congress allies, including the Aam Aadmi Party, DMK, Samajwadi Party, and JMM, are voicing similar concerns. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, whose husband Navjot Singh Sidhu remains in Congress, has also remarked that Rahul Gandhi is unresponsive to anyone,” he stated.

Poonawalla claimed that Rahul Gandhi has lost the trust of both party members and alliance partners.

“No one has faith in Rahul Gandhi. Their own leaders are showing a lack of confidence in him. Rahul Gandhi lacks a mandate. Even veteran Congress members are initiating a no-confidence motion against him,” he said.

The BJP spokesperson also criticized the Congress for what he described as its “double standards” on nationalism.

“The Congress party should be renamed from the Indian National Congress to the Anti-National Congress. This is the same organization that critiques Vande Mataram as communal and provocative while considering slogans like 'Babri Zindabad' as secular,” he claimed.

He condemned the Congress in Karnataka for advocating separate reservations and contracts for Muslims, arguing that the party brands such actions as secular while challenging national symbols.

Poonawalla further juxtaposed the BJP-led NDA with the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu, labeling the former a “majbut alliance” and the latter a “majbur alliance.”

“On one hand, there is the NDA, which is continuously expanding because it has a clear mission and vision for Tamil Nadu. Conversely, the DMK-Congress alliance lacks any mission or vision. It is merely motivated by confusion, a thirst for power, and internal discord,” he stated.

He also highlighted ongoing tensions within the Congress, claiming that leaders like Manickam Tagore were demanding power-sharing and increased seats, while DMK chief M.K. Stalin reportedly dismissed any such arrangements this time.