Shehzad Poonawalla, BJP’s vocal critic, has likened Rahul Gandhi to Indira Gandhi’s Emergency mindset, sparking outrage in political corridors. The trigger: Shakeel Ahmad, a disgruntled ex-Congress stalwart, who unloaded on Rahul’s flawed leadership following Bihar’s poll rout.
In a pointed video, Poonawalla dissected Ahmad’s claims that internal ticket fiddling doomed Congress in Bihar—not SIR or vote theft as Rahul insists. Ahmad labeled Rahul immature, insecure, and the prime architect of Congress’s decline, sidelining veterans for loyal outsiders and spurning Sonia’s legacy.
‘India’s most spineless leader,’ Poonawalla thundered on X, drawing parallels to Emergency authoritarianism. Ahmad rubbished Rahul’s grandstanding on constitutional threats and voter fraud, sharing anecdotes from Bihar Muslims denying any cuts. Congress, he observed, hunkers down as a shadow player, praying for BJP slips.
Poonawalla’s broadside arrives at a precarious time for Congress, with Rahul helming opposition in Lok Sabha. Internal dissent threatens unity, echoing past fractures. This could accelerate defections and erode Rahul’s credibility. BJP leverages the moment to paint Congress as dysfunctional, setting the stage for electoral showdowns. Rahul’s response—or lack thereof—will define his tenure.