With infighting within the Congress spilling out into the open, party leader Anand Sharma said that he believed in "civilised political dialogue" when asked about the latest tiff with West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Calling Chowdhury's tweets 'unfortunate'. Sharma told The Times of India, "I believe in a civilised political dialogue even if there are differences or ideological issues. I've noted what Adhir babu said but I can't become personal."
The duo has been engaged in a war of words which was sparked after Sharma, in a tweet on Monday, said, "Congress’ alliance with parties like ISF and other such forces militates against the core ideology of the party and Gandhian and Nehruvian secularism." Sharma was referring to the Congress' pre-poll alliance with the CPI(M) and Indian Secular Front for the eight-phase West Bengal Assembly Elections from March 27 to April 29.
"The presence and endorsement West Bengal PCC President is painful and shameful, he must clarify.," Sharma had said in another tweet.
Read | Rift within Congress ahead of West Bengal elections as Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slams Anand Sharma
Responding to Sharma's remark, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had suggested that Sharma's "choice to call the decision of CPM-led front ‘communal’ is only serving the polarising agenda of BJP."
Chowdhury added that Sharma's comments sought to undermine the Congress, which was "in tune with BJP's agenda."
Sharma and 22 others, known as G23 Congress leaders, had written a letter to party boss Sonia Gandhi last year seeking an overhaul in the over 150-year-old organisation.