“Non-Performers Are Rotten Mangoes, Must Be Expelled”: Kharge’s 90-Day Ultimatum to Gujarat Congress Leaders

Junagadh: The Congress high command has drawn a hard line in Gujarat, signaling that non-performers will be shown the door as the party attempts to revamp its organization ahead of upcoming elections.

At a fiery training camp in Junagadh, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge minced no words in expressing his dissatisfaction with several city and district leaders. “Leaders who fail to perform are like rotten mangoes—they can spoil the entire basket. Such people should be expelled immediately,” Kharge declared, issuing a 90-day ultimatum to nine underperforming presidents to improve or face removal.

Congress National General Secretary K.C. Venugopal reinforced Kharge’s message, stating bluntly: “Those who work in the Congress will be encouraged. Those who do not work will be stripped of their positions. Congress will appoint a new president in place of Pratap Dudhat if needed.”

The remarks have cast a spotlight on Amreli District Congress President Pratap Dudhat, whose conspicuous absence at the camp has become a political talking point. Dudhat, however, defended himself, telling reporters: “Even if the party suspends me, no one can remove me as a Congress voter. I have been working for years, and that is why I was given a second term. If the party removes me, I have no problem—it was they who made me president.”

Dudhat attributed his absence to personal reasons, citing the recent death of his uncle, Arvindbhai Dudhat. While some leaders, including Lalji Desai, backed his explanation—stressing that a leave letter had been submitted—others remain skeptical, noting that condolence meetings ended well before the camp began.

Kharge’s crackdown highlights growing concerns within the party over weak grassroots performance in Gujarat. Of 41 city and district presidents, nine were flagged for underperformance, with six districts marked as lagging and 19 placed in the lowest performance tier.