Bhubaneswar, December 16: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Tuesday came down heavily on senior leader and former Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim for questioning the leadership of Rahul Gandhi in the party.

"What authority does he have to question Shri @RahulGandhi? Rahul Ji walked across the length and breadth of this country, igniting awareness and hope among the people," Das posted on 'X'.

Moquim has been suspended from the party's primary membership on charges of indiscipline and anti-party activities after he wrote a letter to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi questioning the party's leadership and organisational functioning, which the party leadership views as a serious breach of internal discipline.

“If Mr Moquim genuinely had concerns, he could have raised them within the PAC. Instead, he chose to release a letter to the press clearly revealing his intent. A person facing corruption charges, whose election has been declared null and void by the Hon’ble Odisha High Court, lecturing others on morality is nothing short of laughable,” Das wrote.

“And what authority does he have to question Shri @RahulGandhi? Rahul Ji walked across the length and breadth of this country, igniting awareness and hope among the people. If that is not hard work, then what is?,” Das further wrote.

Moquim's letter has raised sharp concerns about the party's leadership and organisational functioning as he questioned the effectiveness of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, citing his age and alleging an inability to connect with the youth.

He claimed in his letter that despite being an MLA, he had been unable to secure a meeting with Rahul Gandhi for the past three years.

He also blamed repeated electoral setbacks in Odisha on the leadership of current OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das and former president Sarat Pattanayak.