Cong refutes Deo claims, says Rahul not surrounded by coterie

Congress today said party vice-president Rahul Gandhi was not surrounded by a coterie, dismissing claims of its senior leader V Kishore Chandra Deo that "oligarchs" around the leadership called the shots.
"From where he (Deo) came to know about this? It is speculation...A charge. Rahul Gandhi is not surrounded by any coterie. We are with him," party spokesperson Sushmita Dev told reporters here.
She was asked to respond to remarks of former Union minister Deo underlining the need for urgently dismantling the "oligarchy" in the party to make it fighting fit.
Deo had said that the "oligarchs" in the party were the ring of leaders around the party president and vice-president, many of whom had developed a "vested interest".

"The core issue is misuse of their positions by the oligarchs, distorting views of the party president and vice- president and misguiding them," Deo had said, adding that the party must be freed from their "stranglehold".