When Rahul Gandhi narrated a story to talk about favouritism in politics

New Delhi: At a meeting of Congress general secretaries, in-charges and state unit chiefs on Tuesday, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said that all leaders and workers should only focus on strengthening the organisation and desist from favouritism.

He then went on to narrate a story which Rahul Gandhi had once told him about taking one of his friends to meet his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

At this point, Rahul Gandhi took over from Kharge and said that he would like to narrate it himself since he was sitting there.

Rahul Gandhi then told the leaders that he once took a friend to meet his grandmother. 

After the meeting, he asked Indira Gandhi who was her best friend to which she replied no one. 

But Rahul Gandhi countered her by taking a name (which he didn't want to take in the meeting), asking her if she wasn't her best friend. 

Indira Gandhi replied that while she considered that lady her best friend, she wasn't sure if her friend shared the same sentiment. 

The former Prime Minister then told Rahul Gandhi that loyalty and friendship in politics are rare virtues.

Several Congress leaders, present at the meeting, later said that Kharge basically wanted to send a message to the party general secretary in-charge of the organisation KC Venugopal that favouritism is not only "dangerous and counter-productive for the party but also weakens" the organisation.