Infighting breaks out after Congress releases new spokespersons’ list

A severe infighting has broken out in the Congress after a list of five senior spokespersons and 13 spokespersons was released by AICC’s communication department chairman Ajay Maken on Monday. ‘Only the spokespersons as mentioned in the linked list are authorised to speak on behalf of the party,’ Maken tweeted triggering a storm.

This led to a fusillade of protests leading to spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed later issuing a clarification. ‘This is not a gag order,’ Ahmed told mediapersons. Maken’s tweet appeared to be directed at leaders such as Digvijaya Singh, Manish Tewari and Rashid Alvi, whose names have been dropped from the hallowed list of spokespersons. Tewari and Alvi on Monday said they would defy the party’s ‘gag order’, adding they would continue to put forward their views.

Addressing query on the issue during a press conference, Ahmad said, ‘There are 18 spokespersons in the party. It is the Chairman’s request to media to ask only them what is the party line. This is not against any specific person.’ Asked what the media should do if Rahul Gandhi speaks to them, he said, ‘Rahul Gandhi is the vice president and Sonia Gandhi is the president. What they say is the official line and that is what we communicate to you.’ However, in a series of linked tweets, Tewari said, ‘I ceased to be National Spokesperson of the INC in Oct 2012.

When I intervene in the public discourse, I do as an ordinary Cong worker who has served the party for 34 yrs. There are certain core convictions I believe in. When they are assaulted I do not require a noun or an adjective behind my noun to intervene in the public discourse as a party activist I do not hold myself out as the spokesperson.