"Only Lions Remain in Congress": Rahul Gandhi's Remark on Party-Hoppers Draws a Playful Dig from Kharge Over Scindia

A casual interaction between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and young party members turned into a talking point on Friday, October 16, 2026, after Gandhi spoke about leaders who have left the party and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded with a humorous remark that drew attention to Gandhi's own past friendships. The exchange offered a rare glimpse of the lighter side of the party's top leadership while also reviving a long-running debate about political defections.

Rahul Gandhi's Remark on Those Who Left

Speaking to young party workers in an informal setting, Gandhi described former Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ghulam Nabi Azad as cowards and greedy people who chose to leave the party. He went on to say that those who remain in the Congress are the real "lions," a metaphor aimed at projecting the current organisation as one made up of fearless and committed workers. The comment was directed at an audience of younger members, many of whom are being encouraged to take on bigger roles in the party.

Kharge Steps In with a Quip

What made the moment memorable was the reaction of Kharge, who was present during the conversation. As Gandhi spoke about the leaders who had walked out, the Congress president interrupted with a good-humoured line, pointing out that all of them had been Gandhi's friends. The remark was taken in a playful spirit, but it also carried a pointed message about how many of the leaders who later left the party had once been regarded as part of the leadership's inner circle.

Gandhi's Reply on Friendship and Rivalry

Gandhi responded to Kharge by saying that Scindia had never really been his friend. He also reflected on how political friendships and rivalries are often different from what the public perceives. His reply suggested that closeness in political life can be more complicated than appearances indicate, and that public narratives do not always match the personal equations between leaders.

The Background to the Remark

Scindia was once considered one of the most trusted faces among the younger generation of Congress leaders. He left the party in March 2020 along with a group of legislators from Madhya Pradesh, a move that brought down the Congress government in the state and led him to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Azad, a veteran leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, quit the Congress in 2022 and later formed his own party. Both exits were seen as major setbacks, and both leaders have criticised the Congress leadership since leaving.

Gandhi has spoken in similar terms before. In 2021, he told party workers that the Congress wanted fearless people and that those who were afraid were free to leave. The latest remark continues that line of messaging, framing departures as a test of courage and commitment rather than a sign of organisational weakness.

What It Says About Congress Politics

The episode shows how the party leadership is trying to speak to a younger audience at a time when it faces criticism over defections and generational change. Gandhi's choice of words was strong, and critics are likely to argue that calling former colleagues cowards and greedy does little to explain why so many leaders have chosen to leave. Supporters, on the other hand, will see the remark as a way of energising workers and drawing a clear line between those who stayed and those who did not.

Kharge's intervention, meanwhile, softened the moment and added a touch of humour, but it also highlighted an uncomfortable truth for the party: many of those who left were once close to the top leadership. How the Congress addresses that reality, and whether it can retain and attract young talent, will remain important questions in the months ahead.

This report is based on published news coverage and remarks attributed to the leaders involved during an informal interaction.