Ahmedabad: While senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been actively visiting Gujarat to revive the party ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, internal rifts among party leaders and workers continue to surface. The latest controversy involves Ahmedabad City Congress Women’s President Zeel Shah, who has been named in two separate disputes.

In the first instance, Shah allegedly threatened party worker Sagar Dabgar over a social media post congratulating Sonal Patel on her appointment as Ahmedabad City Congress president. Screenshots of the threatening messages have surfaced online. Dabgar has also lodged a police complaint at Dariyapur Police Station, alleging that Shah came to his house, argued with him, and physically assaulted him.

Speaking to the media, Dabgar said that after he posted the congratulatory message, Shah threatened him, visited his home, and assaulted him. Leaked WhatsApp messages reportedly show Shah warning Dabgar: “You’ve grown too many wings, stay in line… You’re free to comment all over the village, but you don’t have time to comment on my posts.”

The second controversy centers around a leaked audio clip circulating on social media. In the recording, a voice alleged to be Shah’s can be heard verbally abusing and threatening an unidentified caller during a dispute over unpaid dues. Shah also allegedly refers to Dhruv Kalapi, husband of Dariyapur Congress corporator Madhuriben Kalapi, accusing him of advising the borrower not to repay the money.

According to reports, the borrower, who had failed to return the money, approached Kalapi. After learning this, Shah allegedly confronted the borrower on a call, using abusive language and blaming Kalapi for encouraging defiance.

These incidents have fueled internal debate within the party, raising concerns over discipline and unity at a time when the Congress is striving to rebuild its base in Gujarat.

In her response, Zeel Shah claimed the controversies stem from internal party rivalries ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections. She alleged that some party members are trying to block her from getting a ticket by damaging her reputation.

Regarding the allegations by Dabgar, Shah described him as a long-time worker who had recently stopped answering calls. She said she merely tried to talk to him about not commenting on her posts and denied making threats. Shah also called the confrontation a minor scuffle, captured on CCTV footage, where she claimed she tried to calm the situation. On the leaked audio, she questioned its authenticity and timing, expressing uncertainty about whether it was indeed her voice. DeshGujarat