The recent meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi witnessed sharp political deliberations alongside moments of humor and witty banter among senior leaders. While charting out the roadmap for upcoming nationwide protests and public mobilization, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a good-humored dig at party MP Shashi Tharoorurging the prolific author and politician to step out onto the streets rather than focusing solely on newspaper columns.
Inside the Light-Hearted Exchange Over Street Protests
The discussion centered around finalizing dates and locations for public protests and outreach rallies by the Congress party and the broader opposition INDI alliance. During the brainstorming session, Shashi Tharoor, a four-time Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram, recommended that the party organize large-scale demonstrations on October 2commemorating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Reacting promptly with a smile, Mallikarjun Kharge pointed toward Tharoor and quipped: “You should definitely get involved. It’s not like you just keep writing articles in the newspapers and we read them later in the morning.” According to insiders, the Thiruvananthapuram MP took the playful remark in good humor, quietly smiling and nodding in agreement without offering any counter.
Rahul Gandhi’s Witty Retort and Take on ‘Vote Theft’
The high-level meeting saw another light-hearted moment when Kharge assured Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi that the entire party stood firmly behind him in his political fights. Rahul Gandhi replied with a witty remark: “It’s okay to stand back, but hopefully not too far behind,” drawing laughter across the room.
Turning to core electoral issues, Rahul Gandhi addressed the party’s ongoing movement regarding electoral integrity and allegations of voter roll manipulation. He noted a marked shift in public perception, observing that when he initially raised concerns about “vote theft” and electoral irregularities, skeptics existed even within his own party ranks. Gandhi asserted that while barely 20 percent of people previously accepted these concerns, public awareness has evolved significantly, with over 80 percent now questioning electoral processes and demanding complete transparency.