Cong a sinking ship, Sonia party president for namesake: Venkaiah Naidu

Hyderabad: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday took potshots at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, saying he had been running the grand old party for the last ten years while his mother Sonia Gandhi was the party national president only for namesake.

"Rahul ji has been running the party for the last ten years. Sonia ji is the national president only for namesake," he said.

"The Congress is a sinking ship come what may," he added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's comments come after the Congress was defeated in the recently-concluded assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand by a huge margin.

The Congress also failed to form government in Goa and Manipur despite finishing as the single largest party in both states.

Ever since then, political leaders have been pointing fingers at the Congress leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi.

Meanwhile, the BJP is slated to hold its party legislature meeting in Lucknow today in order to elect the new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Naidu and BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav will also be present at the meeting as party's central observers. The swearing-in ceremony of the new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister will be held at the Kanshiram memorial ground tomorrow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah will also attend the ceremony.