‘Was asked to shed 10 kilos to meet Rahul Gandhi’, says Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique

Zeeshan Siddique, who was recently removed from the post of Mumbai Youth Congress president, said he faced a bizarre challenge in his quest to meet former Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi-- a weight loss programme

According to the ousted youth leader, he was informed by people close to Rahul Gandhi that he needed to shed 10 kilograms before meeting the Congress scion during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

In a media conference, Zeeshan Siddique said, "During the previous 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Nanded, I was told by one of the persons close to Rahul Gandhi that I should lose 10kg before they could let me meet him".

Further, he accused the Congress party of having a discriminatory approach, he said the party mistreats leaders from minority communities.

"The treatment being meted out to minority leaders and workers in the Congress is unfortunate. The extent of communalism in the Congress and Mumbai Youth Congress is unlike anywhere else. Is it a sin to be a Muslim in the Congress? The party has to answer why am I being targeted? Is it only because I am a Muslim?" Siddique added.

Siddique, a first-time MLA representing Bandra (East) in suburban Mumbai in the Assembly, is the son of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.

Siddique has been removed as the president of the Congress party's Mumbai youth wing, days after his father quit the party and joined the NCP led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Recently, Siddique expressed his disappointment with the Congress party on social media saying that he has given 12 years to the organisation and will soon address the media on the development. "After giving 12 years to the organisation (and) having fought three elections, it is unfortunate that I have not received any