Ghulam Nabi blame Sonia, Rahul for Himanta's exit from Congress

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has blamed Rahul Gandhi for  Himanta Biswa Sarma's exit from the party.  “Let him go” was Rahul Gandhi’s blunt reply when told that Himanta Biswa Sarma, once the Congress’ key leader in Assam, had the support of a majority of MLAs and would rebel and quit the party, Ghulam Nabi Azad writes in his autobiography “Azaad”. Ghulam Nabi, who  quit the party in August 2022 and launched his own regional party, also targets Sonia Gandhi and says she did not assert herself as party president “despite understanding the disastrous consequences that lay ahead”.Sarma, who went on to join the BJP and is the chief minister of Assam, was an important Congress strategist. Ten MLAs followed him when he quit the party in September 2015 over differences with the Congress leadership in Assam. Azad's autobiography will release next month. The former leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha says he apprised Sonia Gandhi of the new “twist in the tale” after the interaction with Rahul Gandhi. “… it is rather unfortunate that she did not assert herself as the party president. Instead, she asked me to request Himanta to not rock the boat,” Azad writes. Ghulam Nabi in “Azaad” explores the challenges of leadership and the consequences of daring to bring fresh thinking into the political landscape, the publishers Rupa said in a statement.