Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today warned some leaders in the party’s Gujarat unit who he alleged have been working secretly from inside for the BJP.

The BJP, in response, said Mr Gandhi has “trolled” his own party in Gujarat, which makes him the “biggest asset” of the BJP.

Mr Gandhi said the Congress is ready to sack up to 40 leaders if the need arises in order to clean the party in the BJP-ruled state, where the Congress has not been in power for decades.

He pointed out internal challenges within the party’s Gujarat unit due to two types of leaders – those who are genuinely connected to the people, and those who remain distant. 

“If we have to connect with the people of Gujarat, we need to do two things. The first task is to separate these two groups. Even if we have to remove 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 people, we are ready to do that to set an example,” Mr Gandhi told party workers in Ahmedabad at an event.

“Those in the Congress who are secretly working for the BJP should come out, work openly for the BJP. Let’s see them. The BJP won’t have space for you. They will throw you outside,” he said.

He acknowledged challenges faced by the party in Gujarat, where it has been out of power for nearly 30 years, and stressed that merely focusing on elections would not be enough to regain public trust.

“Until we fulfil our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not elect us. We must first earn their trust,” he said.

Congress veteran Ahmed Patel’s daughter Mumtaz Patel said Mr Gandhi’s speech gives her “courage to speak openly”.

“I have not got any post in the party… I had no role, that’s why I am in Delhi… There are many people in the party who stopped workers like me because of their personal interests, due to which the party weakened,” she said. “I hope Rahul ji has understood the ground reality. That’s why I am saying with courage that we want to work for the party, but don’t get a chance.”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a swipe at Mr Gandhi, calling him the “BJP’s biggest asset”.

“He has trolled himself and his party. He tried to show the mirror to himself. Such an honest reaction… Rahul Gandhi admits he is unable to win in Gujarat, unable to show the way… Rahul Gandhi says some Congress workers are like racehorses who have been made to dance at weddings, and some are like wedding horses made to race at competitions. Are your party workers animals?” Mr Poonawalla said.

“At least please call your party workers humans. You are calling them horses,” he said.

During his speech, Mr Gandhi also criticised the current leadership in Gujarat over the state’s small and medium businesses, farmers, and industries that he said needed a new vision.

“The current model of governance has failed. The people of Gujarat are calling for change, and Congress can provide that vision,” he said.

The bodies of three civilians, including a 14-year-old child, were found in a water body in Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua district, two days after they went missing in a terrorist-infested area.

According to police sources, Yogesh Singh, Darshan Singh and the minor boy Varun Singh were on their way to attend a marriage ceremony when they went missing in Billawar area of the district on Wednesday evening. 

As a massive search operation was launched by the security forces, the bodies of the three people were found in a water body near Lohai Malhar area, the sources said.

Sources said the area has a large presence of terrorists and has witnessed multiple terror attacks in the last two years. Last month, two civilians were found dead in the same area.

Rahul Gandhi urged the Gujarat Congress to expel leaders and workers who are aligned with BJP, stressing the need to reconnect with people to regain trust and win elections. He criticised the state’s struggling industries, calling for a new vision to support farmers and revive the sectors.