Digvijay wanting Rahul to take charge not in Congress' favour, says ex-party leader Gufran-e-Azam

Former Congress leader Gufran-e-Azam on Saturday criticized Digvijay Singh's remark that Rahul Gandhi should take over full charge of the party, saying it will not be in the party's favour.

"If Digvijay Singh is talking about giving charge of Congress to Rahul Gandhi, he is not speaking in favour of party. Some people just do not have the courage to speak the truth. People now say that Rahul Gandhi ruined the Congress party, but I had said even before the Lok Sabha polls that if the mother-son duo is in-charge we will lose," said Azam.

Digvijay had earlier stunned everyone by calling for a leadership change in the party and said that it is high time for Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins from his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi.

"It is a general feeling within Congress that the party has always encouraged younger workers. And, therefore, it's time for Rahul Gandhi to take charge. However, the timing should be left for him to decide," he said.

Digvijay's comment comes at a time when the Congress is gradually losing its popularity among the masses. The verdict of the assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra is a testament to this fact as the Congress failed to live up to its expectations and was trounced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in both states.