Kharge's remarks over Karnataka govt exposes 'real authority' in Cong lies with Gandhi family: BJP

The Congress has a long history of using Dalits as political convenience while denying them real power and agency, he said.Malviya cited former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and Kharge himself as examples to support his allegation.He claimed Dalit leaders in the Congress are often given symbolic positions while key political and organisational decisions remain concentrated around the Gandhi family.Kharges statement today was not just politically embarrassing.

The BJP on Monday attacked the Congress over party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks that Rahul Gandhi will address issues related to the Karnataka government, alleging that the statement has exposed where the ''real authority'' in the opposition party lies.

The ruling party's remarks follow Kharge's statement that Gandhi, not he, will speak on the Karnataka chief minister's visit to Delhi to meet the party high command.

In a post on X, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya claimed Kharge has removed any remaining doubt that he is merely a ''rubber-stamp Congress president''.

''Today, Mallikarjun Kharge removed all remaining doubt that he is merely a rubber-stamp Congress president when he publicly declared that Rahul Gandhi will decide the internecine feud in the Karnataka Congress,'' Malviya wrote.

He alleged that Kharge's statement shows that authority in the Congress remains with the Gandhi family.

''Think about the insult embedded in that statement. The Congress president, a Dalit leader, openly admitting that the real authority lies elsewhere, with the Gandhi family,'' he said.

The BJP leader also alleged that the Congress has a history of using Dalit leaders for ''political convenience'' while denying them actual decision-making powers.

''But this is not new. The Congress has a long history of using Dalits as political convenience while denying them real power and agency,'' he said.

Malviya cited former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and Kharge himself as examples to support his allegation.

He claimed Dalit leaders in the Congress are often given symbolic positions while key political and organisational decisions remain concentrated around the Gandhi family.

''Kharge's statement today was not just politically embarrassing. It was an unfiltered glimpse into the feudal culture of the Congress party,'' Malviya alleged.

Targeting Gandhi, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said for him nothing is above the ''parivar'' (family).

''If the Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, himself cannot speak on party matters, then who is actually running the Congress party? Why is Rahul Gandhi always above Kharge in the Congress hierarchy?'' he wrote in a post on X.

He claimed that in the ''Congress, posts may belong to others -- but power always remains with the one family''.

''Remember how, during an important opposition meeting, Kharge was reportedly sidelined and not even given the importance due to the party president? That tells you everything about the Congress culture,'' Bhandari added.

He also referred to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, claiming that the Congress had reduced him to a ''puppet PM'', and now even Kharge is treated like a ''symbolic president with no real authority''.