The Congress Monday hit out at its former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for his reported remarks that Rahul Gandhi allegedly has ties with "undesirable businessmen", saying these "contemptible statements" on the party leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant.

In an interview with Malayalam News channel Asianet News, Azad, referring to the Gandhi family, said, "The entire family has associations with businessmen, including him (Rahul). I can give you 10 examples of where he would go even outside the country, to meet people who are undesirable businessmen."