Congress to remove Sunil Jakhar, KV Thomas from all party posts; suspends 5 Meghalaya MLAs

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday decided to remove former Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar and Kerala leader K V Thomas from all party positions and suspended five of its MLAs in Meghalaya for anti-party activities, sources said.

The Congress Disciplinary Committee recommended action against Jakhar and it was initially decided to suspend him for two years but later toned down their decision keeping in view his seniority in the party.

The panel, which met here this morning, recommended the suspension of the five Congress MLAs in Meghalaya for supporting the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in the state, defying the party's directives.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved the disciplinary panel's recommendations. Sonia Gandhi had received a letter from the president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee, Vincent Pala, regarding the actions of five MLAs in supporting the present BJP-backed government there.

The committee has said that it discussed the issue extensively and resolved to suspend the MLAs Amrareen Lyngdoh, P T Sawkimie, Kimfa Marbaniang, Mayralborn Syiem and Mohendro Rapsang for a period of three years from the date of this meeting, the sources said.

Regarding Thomas, the panel decided to remove him from the state political affairs committee and the executive committee of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.
On the issue of Jakhar, it was discussed and resolved at the meeting to remove him from all party positions, the sources said.

The sources pointed out that the panel earlier decided to recommend his suspension for two years and removal from all party positions, but later toned down their action and dropped his suspension.

Some members also raised concerns over singling out Jakhar for suspension as other Congress leaders had also publicly made accusations during the election, they said.

Jakhar is considered close to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his suspension would have paved the way for him to quit, and the party does not want its leaders to leave at this critical juncture, the sources said.

"Both Jakhar and Thomas will continue to remain in the party. The committee has decided not to take any harsh action against them, keeping in view their seniority and contribution to the party," Tariq Anwar, a member of the panel, said.

The five-member committee is chaired by senior party leader A K Antony and Tuesday's meeting was attended by members Anwar, J P Aggarwal and G Parameswar, besides Antony. Ambika Soni was not present during the meeting. Soon after the Congress disciplinary panel's recommendations, Jakhar wished his party "good luck" while refusing to reveal his own plans.

"I wish the Congress good luck," he said when reporters sought his reaction to the panel's recommendation. He refused to comment when asked what would be his next step.
Ahead of the Congress disciplinary committee meeting, Jakhar had said those who still have a conscience will be punished.

"Aaj, sar kalam honge unke jinme abhi zameer baaki hai. (Today, those with a conscience will be beheaded). (My apologies to Javed Akhtar Saheb)," Jakhar said in a tweet.

Jakhar had criticised former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and termed him a liability for the party after the Congress lost to the AAP in the state. He has also been critical of the party leadership in the run-up to the assembly elections in Punjab, which the Congress lost to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Thomas, a former Union minister and senior leader from Kerala, had attended a seminar organised by the CPI(M) on April 9 in the state against the party's wishes and local state leaders had been seeking action against him.

The sources said the five Congress MLAs in Meghalaya had joined the BJP-backed ruling alliance in the state, for which a show-cause notice was sent to them and an explanation sought from them.

The state unit of the Congress had also sought strict action against the MLAs for supporting a BJP government in the state, they said. The legislators had joined the MDA in February, which brought the two arch-foes together in a ruling coalition and left Congress leaders fuming.

The disciplinary panel had issued a show-cause notice to Jakhar, Thomas and the five MLAs, and had asked them to explain why action should not be initiated against them for their actions. While Thomas had explained, Jakhar preferred not to reply to the panel's show-cause notice.