Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Kakade Urges Pawar to Leave Congress Over 'Gungi Gudiya' Row
Some politicians in the Indian state of Maharashtra are having a big argument.
The Congress party put a video on social media about Sunetra Pawar, who helps lead the state government.
In the post, Congress called her 'Gungi Gudiya,' which means 'dumb doll'.
A leader from the NCP party, Sanjay Kakade, got very angry about those words.
He said the name was rude and insulting to women.
He asked Sharad Pawar, the NCP's senior leader, to stop working with Congress.
He also said Congress had 24 hours to say sorry, or there would be protests.
Congress said it did not mean to insult her, and that the phrase was once used long ago about a former Prime Minister.
The two sides still disagree about what the words really meant.
NCP leader and former MP Sanjay Kakade demanded that Sharad Pawar sever ties with Congress and quit the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance over the 'Gungi Gudiya' row.
The Maharashtra Congress called Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar 'Gungi Gudiya' on its official social media platform after a video showed NCP's Dhananjay Munde shielding her from a journalist's question on the law-and-order situation in Beed district.
Kakade gave Congress a 24-hour ultimatum to apologise, warning of statewide protests and a 'tit-for-tat' response.
Kakade said he has written to Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi, demanding Harshwardhan Sapkal's resignation as Maharashtra Congress chief or a public apology.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe defended the tweet, saying it referenced socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia's term for Indira Gandhi in a political context and was not a personal attack.
- Who
- NCP leader Sanjay Kakade, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Harshwardhan Sapkal, Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
- What
- A political row over the Maharashtra Congress's social media post calling Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar a 'Gungi Gudiya', with Kakade demanding Sharad Pawar cut ties with Congress and quit the MVA alliance.
- When
- Kakade spoke on Wednesday; the row began after Congress posted the video on Tuesday.
- Where
- Maharashtra, India; Kakade made the remarks in Pune.
- Why
- Because Congress's unapologetic 'Gungi Gudiya' remark about Sunetra Pawar was seen by the NCP as a derogatory and insulting attack on a woman leader.
Critics of Congress (NCP side)
Congress (MVA partner)
Nature of the remark
Critics of Congress (NCP side)
Kakade calls 'Gungi Gudiya' derogatory and insulting to women, saying defending it is unbecoming of Maharashtra's political and social culture.
Congress (MVA partner)
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe says the tweet referenced Ram Manohar Lohia's term for Indira Gandhi in a political context and had no intention to insult or belittle Sunetra Pawar.
Appropriate response
Critics of Congress (NCP side)
Kakade demands Pawar sever ties with Congress and quit the MVA, giving Congress a 24-hour ultimatum to apologise and threatening statewide protests and a 'tit-for-tat' response.
Congress (MVA partner)
Londhe says attempts are being made to inflame the situation and score political points by exploiting the issue.
- Controversy
- 'Gungi Gudiya' social media remark aimed at Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar
- Demand made by
- Sanjay Kakade, NCP leader and former MP
- Target of remark
- Sunetra Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
- Alliance affected
- Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)
- Ultimatum
- 24 hours for Congress to apologise, or statewide protests
- Congress response
- Tweet referenced Ram Manohar Lohia's phrase on Indira Gandhi, not a personal attack
- Kakade's demand to Congress
- Resignation or public apology by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal