New Delhi, Mar 8 (IANS): Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a jab at his once close friend and former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, saying "who earlier was counted among 'decision makers' in his former party, now only gets to enjoy from the back seat as a spectator ever since he crossed over to saffron pastures".
The former Congress chief's remarks came during a two-day national executive meeting of the Indian Youth Congress here that started during the day earlier.
According to party sources, Gandhi said he used to tell Scindia "to work hard, so that he could be a Chief Minister".
"He (Scindia) had decision making powers in our party and he always remained with me. But he left the party and joined the BJP, and look where he is sitting today. He is sitting among the backbenchers," the source quoted Gandhi as saying.
Scindia, was one of those Congress leaders who could call on Gandhi at any time. He had a free pass to the former Congress President's home. However, Scindia left the party in March last year orchestrating the collapse of the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh.
Scindia was made a Rajya Sabha member by the BJP. He had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to K.P. Singh Yadav despite contesting from his traditional seat of Guna, which was considered a family bastion of the Scindias in Madhya Pradesh.
To a question by a youth leader, about turncoats, who have returned to the party-fold, the source quoted Gandhi saying, "The Congress is like a sea. Here everyone following the ideology of the party are welcome. And those who do not follow the ideology of the party can leave anytime."
When pressed hard on how turncoats returned to top posts in the party, Gandhi asserted that they had to work really hard to return to that high post.
After the Youth Congress meet, Gandhi tweeted: "Met with IYC colleagues and discussed national issues. At every step, we have to wage a non-violent struggle against the RSS mentality - so that India's diversity and culture does not come under fire."
The National Executive of the Youth Congress is being organised in the national capital in which several top leaders of the youth wing are participating.