The Congress leadership, on Friday, expressed displeasure over the public outbursts of former Haryana PCC chief Ashok Tanwar and ex-Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam over ticket distribution in their respective states, with the party hinting at disciplinary action against them if they do not exercise restraint.
“Both leaders are well advised to restrain themselves. This advice comes with a time stamp,” said AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari. He was responding to queries on Tanwar and Nirupam going public with their complaints about the manner in which tickets have been distributed in Haryana and Maharashtra for the coming assembly polls.
Blowing to bits the compromise worked out by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Haryana, Tanwar, who was recently replaced as PCC chief in a bid to placate veteran Bhupinder Singh Hooda, went on the warpath on the issue of selection of candidates. In a bold display of defiance, on October 2, he staged a protest outside Sonia Gandhi's residence along with hundreds of his supporters, claiming that tickets were being sold.
A day later, after the candidates list for Haryana was declared, Tanwar resigned from all posts in the party. He, however, continues to be a member of the party. Tanwar has accused Hooda of cornering majority of the tickets for his own supporters and ignoring the hard work done by him and his supporters during the last five years.
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In Maharashtra too, the Congress' campaign for the coming elections was dealt a blow by the rebellion of Nirupam, who indicated he could well be on his way out of the party if he continued to be sidelined. Nirupam's grouse is that the sole recommendation he made for a ticket for the polls was not taken into consideration.
“The way I am being treated, I might leave the party,” said Nirupam, who was replaced by Milind Deora as Mumbai Congress chief ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Nirupam has also announced that he will not be a part of the elections in Maharashtra.