Rahul a 'darpok', insecure leader: Ex-Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad

Former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad on Saturday (January 24, 2026) called Rahul Gandhi a 'darpok' (coward) and an insecure leader and claimed he is only promoting young leaders who sing his paeans in the party.

Mr. Ahmad, who has been a former union minister and a party general secretary, had quit the Congress after the Bihar Assembly elections in 2025. He has been a three-time MLA — 1985-90, 1990-95 and 2000-2004 — and twice an MP, 1998 and 2004, from Bihar.

He said Mr. Gandhi finds himself uncomfortable in the presence of senior leaders who have a public standing and is thus promoting only those who have no base.

#WATCH | Delhi | Former Congress leader Dr Shakeel Ahmad says, "There is no internal democracy in the Congress party...In the Congress party, whatever Rahul Gandhi says is final..." pic.twitter.com/zjomb88YFM

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2026

Rahul a 'darpok', insecure leader: Ex-Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad

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