Alva finally dropped from Congress' key posts

A day after Congress senior leader Margaret Alva offered resignation anticipating disciplinary action against her following the cash-for-tickets disclosure; the Congress finally on Wednesday accepted resignation and dropped her from the post of general secretary of the party as well as the Congress Working Committee and the Central Election Committee.

She is also removed from the charge of party affairs in several states including Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and poll-bound Mizoram. Margaret Alva, however, has been dubbed as the loyal member of the Congress party.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi took the decision today after the Disciplinary Action Committee’s chairperson A K Antony submitted his report based on the party’s opinion and interaction with Alva.

The Disciplinary Committee found Alva guilty of breaching discipline of the party on the ground that she had gone public with her allegation that party nominations were sold during the Karnataka polls.

The Committee reportedly stated that no one should be let off; howsoever big it is, as it would send a wrong signal to the party cadres and leaders.

Alva had Tuesday submitted her resignation as general secretary of the party but the party had not taken decision yesterday, waiting for the Disciplinary Committee’s report. She had met Monday to the Central Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) chairperson, A K Antony and later in the night to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and expressed her inability to continue as party’s general secretary as the matter was with the Committee.

Sources, however, said that she stuck to her stand that tickets were arbitrarily distributed during Karnataka assembly polls.

It was, however, speculation in the media that Congress might not take strong action against her in view of the upcoming assembly elections in six states, as it would send a wrong signal among voters, and let her go after strict warning.

Margaret Alva had alleged last week in an interview that different yardsticks were being implemented in deciding party nominations for upcoming elections in six states.

She expressed her dissatisfaction as why her son Nivedith and grand son of former union minister C K Jaffer were not given nominations, while relatives of many Congress leaders were given tickets for the upcoming assembly elections. She had questioned why this double standard?

The Congress party had, however, rejected the charge of sale of tickets and ruled out any probe in the matter. The party High Command had also snubbed Alva for going to the media to express her dissatisfaction.