Cong MP slams Rahul and coterie, quits

RAHUL BASHING: Rahul is the new power centre and seniors may have to give way to Generation Next.

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New Delhi: As an ex-badminton player, Akhilesh Das is possibly used to slicing and smashing his way past opponents. Rahul Gandhi perhaps felt the full venom of that skill on Tuesday.

Akhilesh Das says, "Only the caucus can meet him (Rahul Gandhi). He rules the country and the party."

The allegations and the resignation comes as a blow to Rahul's politics. The scion of the Gandhi family has been pitching for democracy within the party and ironically, he and his advisors are charged with building a caucus, which is resulting in alienation of senior party members.

However, Akhilesh Das's exit is perhaps the first sign of the changing equations within the party.

That Rahul is the new power centre could possibly mean seniors will have to give way to Generation Next now. But all seniors are not resigning like Akhilesh Das.

Congress MP, Renuka Chowdhury says in Rahul Gandhi's defence, "At some point, we all become seniors and we must facilitate juniors. Mentoring has to happen."

Akhilesh Das will move on and rumours are rife that he may join the BSP. Mayawati's social engineering has struck a goal, but Rahul's plans for a larger and stronger Congress — at least in Uttar Pradesh — may have been pushed back. There is a possibility that more people could now follow in Akhilesh's footsteps.