Sunil Jakhar Quits Congress, Says Proceedings At 'Chintan Shivir' Inviting Pity Amid 'Existential Crisis'

After the Congress party's debacle in Punjab, Jakhar had trained guns at former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, blaming him for the loss while terming him a liability for the party. 

New Delhi: Congress party's former Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday announced his resignation from the party soon after he removed that party's name from his Twitter bio. "...Good luck and goodbye Congress..." the senior Punjab Congress leader said on a Facebook live session as he quit the party. This announcement comes after Congress disciplinary committee recommended Sunil Jakhar's suspension from the party for two years along with his removal from all party posts.

Addressing a Facebook Live session titled 'Dil Ki Baat', the former Punjab Congress chief said that proceedings at the 'Chintan Shivir' being held in Udaipur are inviting pity amid anger and disappointment over his 50 years of association with the party.

He further remarked that the party is in "existential crisis" but its three-day conclave is focusing on other matters with senior leaders expected to act like "cheerleaders".

Sunil Jakhar questioned interim president Sonia Gandhi over a show-cause notice sent to him saying, "I don't hold any post (in the party); I have an ideology. I want to ask Sonia Gandhi that being Congress president, doesn't she know that I hold no position in the party? Then why a show-cause notice is being given to me?". 

"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 remarked.

Jakhar also lashed out at Ambika Soni and asked how can she be a part of the committee 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.

As per news agency ANI, Soni had reportedly warned former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi that Punjab would be on fire if Jakhar was made the Chief Minister of the state following Amarinder Singh's resignation last year.

Congress Disciplinary Committee Meeting

The Congress disciplinary committee in April removed former Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar and KV Thomas from all party posts for going against "party lines". As per ANI sources, Congress President Sonia Gandhi showed "softness" towards Jakhar and did not suspend him from the party despite the recommendation of the committee.

As per sources cited by news agency PTI, the recommendation to dismiss Jakhar from party posts was made by Congress disciplinary committee after a meeting chaired by senior leader AK Antony, attended by panel members Tariq Anwar, JP Aggarwal, and G Parameswar. Ambika Soni was not present during the meeting.

On April 11, Congress leaders KV Thomas and Sunil Jakhar were issued show-cause notices for breaking party discipline and were asked to reply within a week. Sunil Jakhar declined to appear before the committee.

Ahead of the Congress disciplinary committee meeting, Jakhar had remarked that those who still have a conscience will be punished.

The senior Punjab Congress leader Jakhar had trained guns at former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, blaming him for the Congress party's poll debacle in Punjab while terming him as a liability for the party. 

He also indirectly hit out at senior party colleague Ambika Soni for her statement ruling out a Hindu Chief Minister for Punjab.

The announcement coincides with the Congress party's 'Chintan Shivir' in Udaipur wherein senior leaders are deliberating on the grand old party's revival ahead of upcoming assembly elections as well as 2024 General Elections, besides issues pertaining to economy and farmers' woes.