Sunil Jakhar quits Congress amid party's 'Chintan Shivir', says 'for years, I have...'

In an almost 35-minute-long Facebook live, the former Punjab Congress chief shared his "dil ki baat" and announced that he is quitting the party.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Sunil Jakhar on Saturday (May 14, 2022) announced to quit the party, days after he received a show-cause notice for alleged anti-party activities. In an almost 35-minute-long Facebook live, the former Punjab Congress chief shared his "dil ki baat" and said that he is quitting the party.

"Good luck and goodbye Congress," 'heartbroken' Jakhar said while parting ways with the Sonia Gandhi-led party.

The 68-year-old also pointed out various issues that Congress is going through.

Earlier last month, the Congress disciplinary committee had given a show-cause notice to Jakhar for alleged anti-party activities. The party had then reportedly decided to remove the former Punjab unit chief from all party positions for anti-party activities.

Taking potshots at the Congress, Jakhar questioned if Sonia Gandhi wasn`t aware that he held no position in the party, and yet he was issued a show-cause notice. 

He also questioned senior party leaders Tariq Anwar, JP Aggarwal and Ambika Soni, who are members of the Congress Disciplinary Committee. 

"Tariq Anwar served me a show-cause notice. He`s a person who had left Congress by making several allegations against the party and Sonia Gandhi," he said.

Jakhar lashed out at Ambika Soni and asked how can she be a part of the committee against him when she is the one who made the allegations of indiscipline against him.

"Where was Ambika Soni in 1970, when Congress needed its members the most? She ran away from her responsibilities," he said. 

Stating that he has a 50-year-old relationship with the Congress party, Jakhar said, "For years, I have acted as a disciplined worker of the Congress party."

Jakhar, notably, was among the front runners for the chief ministerial post after Amarinder Singh was unseated last year. The chances of Jakhar becoming the chief minister were scuttled after the statement of party leader Ambika Soni, who had said that the party should go with a Sikh face. seniority in the party.

Jakhar, who is considered close to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, had repeatedly criticised former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and had termed him a liability for the party after the Congress lost to the Aam Aadmi Party in the recently-concluded state assembly elections.

He was critical of the party leadership in the run-up to the assembly polls in Punjab.

The setback for the grand old party came amid its second day of the ongoing 3-day Chintan Shivir in Udaipur.

Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi presides over a meeting of AICC General Sectaries, In-charges, PCC Presidents & CLPs at the party's Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, Rajasthan. pic.twitter.com/yGZ2sAhHOZ — ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) May 14, 2022

Earlier on the first day of the Shivir on Friday, party interim president Sonia Gandhi had addressed the leaders who were invited to the event.

On the agenda of the party are discussions on `communal polarization`, farmers` issues, and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections.