In Madhya Pradesh, however, the political tension has worsened following the suspension of some 60 leaders of the Youth Congress for skipping a rally in Delhi. The action has left the organisation with questions yet to get answered and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised questions against Congress leadership on this controversy.
The stinging punishment has drawn in internecine tensions within the Madhya Pradesh Congress with party workers and leaders reacting to it. In view of the rising controversy, Congress Organisation’s general secretary Sanjay Kamle has issued a note on the Congress’ suspension of the MPs.
The office-bearers, who were missing because of true family welfare issues, should have notified the state president or the party in-charge before the disciplinary action was taken, Kamle said. He explained that the leaders had not left the party for good, they have just been suspended.
Kamle adds that the suspended office-bearers will be issued with show cause notices, which will allow them to give explanation regarding their non-attendance. If their response is satisfactory in nature they can be reinstated by the party. This explanation clarifies that if the leaders submit the explanation the disciplinary action may be reconsidered.
At the same time, the BJP has caught hold of the Congress berserk about the developments. The opposition party had called the Delhi rally tactic of not having the office-bearers signifying a lack of trust in them as leaders, including Rahul Gandhi.
The BJP also said Congress was being hard on its grassroots workers, but was ignoring controversies over the Congress top brass. It said Rahul Gandhi should also be held responsible for his statements, and the subsequent confusion caused by them.
The recent issue has again brought the differences in Madhya Pradesh Congress to the fore. The party leadership had maintained the suspensions were merely temporary and will be reviewed but BJP has persisted in raising questions against the internal working and leadership of the Congress during the period.
The next step(s) will be determined by the outcome of the responses of the suspended office-bearers and a decision by the organisation to allow the office-bearers to once more devote their energy to the activities of the organisation.