Priyanka Gandhi should be made Congress chief if party wants to revive: Acharya Pramod Krishnam

New Delhi: Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a former Congress leader, on Wednesday blamed Rahul Gandhi and his team for setting the grand old party in a 'freefall mode', saying that his sister Priyanka Gandhi is the only leader who could arrest this slide.

Pramod Krishnam, unimpressed with the party's impressive rebound in the 2024 elections, told IANS that the Congress was in a sorry state of affairs despite having a rich existence and history of over 100 years.

Questioned on Rahul Gandhi's claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have lost his Varanasi Lok Sabha seat had he fielded Priyanka Gandhi from the constituency, the former Congressman said she (Priyanka) should also be made Congress president as she is the only leader who could put a stop to this decline.

Pramod Krishnam, poking fun at the existing set-up of Congress, said that the party is doomed to fail and also held Rahul Gandhi and his aides responsible for its 'pitiable' condition.

"None other than Rahul Gandhi is responsible for state of Congress," Krishnam said.

"Today, the party is in dire straits. It is not because of BJP or PM Modi... Rahul Gandhi and his team are solely responsible for this downslide in party," he added.

The former Congress leader also batted for the nation-wide roll-out of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying it will give strength to the nation and rule out scope for spurring differences among communities, as claimed by certain sections.

"UCC should be implemented across the country. Not just NDA allies but also the Opposition parties should support it," he said.

Pramod Krishnam, a former member of Priyanka Gandhi's team was expelled by Congress for six years in February this year for "indiscipline and anti-party activities".

The trigger for disciplinary action against him was his condemnation of party leadership skipping the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony in January, this year.

Krishnam also contested the 2019 Parliament elections on a Congress ticket from Lucknow LS seat but was defeated by his rival candidate.