Expelled Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Sunday dropped a bombshell indicating of a clear rift in the Congress’ first family — the Gandhis.
Krishnam who is all set to join BJP said the High Command has a division and that the former party chief Rahul Gandhi has done everything to keep away his sibling Priyanka Gandhi and questioned why the latter has been in the party without any portfolio.
He also mentioned the perpetual disrespect to the another stalwart Sachin Pilot who has been batting day in an out to sustain himself in the party led by a reluctant politician like Rahul Gandhi.
Krishnan also sought to know why it’s now to be one month for the second leg of Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra that Priyanka has not joined the yatra.
“Like Lord Shiv, Sachin Pilot is gulping poison, Pramod Krishnam said adding that, Priyanka Gandhi -- for the first time in the party’s history -- was kept as the general secretary without any portfolio. Ask Priyanka Gandhi whether she is happy about it. Ask her why she is not joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Who is orchestrating all this because our president (Mallikarjun Kharge) is a rubber stamp,” Pramod Krishnam said.
Krishnam was expelled from the Congress for six years for indiscipline and anti-party remarks. In the statement issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, the party said, “In view of complaints about indiscipline and repeatedly making statement against the party, Congress president has approved the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee’s proposal to expel Pramod Krishnam for six years with immediate effect.”
“When I was 16 or 17 years old, I gave my words to Rajiv Gandhi that I would stand with him. Today I am giving my words to PM Modi that I would stand with PM Modi because he is working for the development of the country. Everyone is asking what was my fault — whether me meeting Narendra Modi, Yogi Adityanath or me attending the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple,” Pramod Krishnam said.
On being asked whether he would join the BJP, he said he did not know what he would do. “I have faith in God. I will go wherever God takes me. I am with Modi ji because he is with the country,” Pramod Krishnam said.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said Pramod Krishnam earned Rahul Gandhi’s wrath because of his ‘strident defence of Priyanka Vadra’.
“Congress cannot even tolerate aides of Priyanka now!” Poonawala said adding that when he was in the Congress he alerted Acharya Pramod that ‘Priyanka was no better than Rahul’ but Acharya chose to remain loyal to Priyanka.
Among his anti-party activities, Acharya Pramod criticised the Congress’s stand of not attending the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and despite the top leadership declining the invitation, he attended.
On the expulsion, he said he was happy that the party freed him. “I wish to Congress party to expel me for 14 years instead of 6 years. Lord Rama was also expelled for 14 years,” he said.
