BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (January 21, 2026) accused the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of talking flat on the issue of proportional representation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and other communities in the Congress party.
The allegation followed a video clip circulating on social media in which former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, who is seeking greater SC representation in the party, was allegedly heard at a recent meeting.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told a press conference that while the Congress leader was vocal about the caste census, Mr Gandhi’s own party leader Mr Channi was “saying they are not getting justice there”.
“Even in the party, you are not able to do the work of a popular leader or deliver social justice… Channi-ji exposed the gulf between Rahul Gandhi-ji’s principles and words and his actions and statements,” Mr. Poonawalla said.
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Mr. Poonawalla also criticized infighting within Congress units, citing incidents in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. “Congress is still fighting against itself. It is a divided party. That will happen when Rahul Gandhi is its leader,” he said.
Published – 21 Jan 2026 21:06 IST
