Junagadh: The Congress has sent out a stern warning—those who work will be encouraged, and those who do not will be stripped of their positions. This uncompromising message rang out loud and clear at the party’s training camp in Junagadh, where National President Mallikarjun Kharge made it clear that indiscipline and underperformance will not be tolerated.
Kharge, visibly dissatisfied with the performance of several city and district presidents, declared: “Leaders who fail to perform are like rotten mangoes—they can spoil the entire basket. Such people should be expelled immediately.” He issued a 90-day ultimatum to nine underperforming city and district presidents, warning that failure to improve would mean removal from their posts.
K.C. Venugopal’s Stern Message
Congress National General Secretary K.C. Venugopal echoed Kharge’s stance, stating, “Those who work in the Congress will be encouraged. Those who do not work will be stripped of their positions. Congress will appoint a new president in place of Pratap Dudhat if needed.”
The remark drew attention to the absence of Amreli District Congress President Pratap Dudhat, which has become a matter of serious discussion within the party.
Pratap Dudhat’s Response
Breaking his silence, Dudhat told the media, “Even if the party suspends me, no one can remove me as a Congress voter. I have been working as a Congress worker for years, and that is why I was given a second term as district president. If the party removes me, I have no problem—it was they who made me president in the first place.”
He added that his absence was due to personal reasons and stressed that the high command had not named him personally.
Questions Over His Absence
While some believe Dudhat skipped the camp due to his uncle Arvindbhai Dudhat’s passing on September 1, many in political circles remain skeptical. Condolence meetings concluded by September 6, yet the camp began five days later, raising doubts about whether bereavement alone explained his absence.
Lalji Desai’s Clarification
Congress leader Lalji Desai defended Dudhat, saying, “He had submitted a formal leave letter. He could not attend as his uncle had passed away. We don’t want to politicize this—it is our internal matter.”
Desai added that Kharge’s directives were focused on strengthening the party’s organizational base, improving public engagement, and enhancing digital outreach.
Gujarat Congress Performance Under Review
The training camp painted a worrying picture of Congress’s ground performance in Gujarat. Out of 41 city and district presidents, nine were flagged for weak results, including leaders from Gandhinagar and Anand. Six districts were marked as lagging, while 19 were rated at the lowest performance tier.
