India, June 14 -- Congress leader K.C. Venugopal has strongly criticized the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], accusing it of targeting Rahul Gandhi to divert attention from its own political setbacks and declining electoral performance.

The remarks come amid growing tensions between the Congress and the Left parties within the opposition camp.

In a statement, Venugopal alleged that the CPI(M)'s repeated attacks on Rahul Gandhi reflect "political insecurity" and a failure to honestly assess the reasons behind its recent electoral defeats.

He argued that instead of introspecting on its weakening political position, particularly in Kerala, the party is attempting to blame Gandhi for its problems.

The Congress leader compared ...