Rahul Gandhi called former Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ghulam Nabi Azad "cowards and greedy" during a Thursday session with about 60 young activists at the party's Delhi headquarters.
Mallikarjun Kharge shot back that the ex‑leaders were his friends, prompting Gandhi to quip about his sister Priyanka and to tease the notion that political allies can be deceptive.
Gandhi then recounted an anecdote from his grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, explaining that friendship in politics is fluid, adding nuance to his earlier criticism.
He urged the youth to keep protesting, noting that the Modi government had only eight to ten months left before the next general election, and encouraged creative demonstrations such as a planned march at Jantar Mantar.
The meeting, held after a recent protest against the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, reflects Congress's attempt to rally its base ahead of the 2024 elections.