Congress leaders seek action against Hooda, Chavan for meeting Azad

As the G-23 or change-seekers plan to step up pressure ahead of Congress presidential polls, demands for taking action against senior leaders Bhupinder Hooda and Prithviraj Chavan have been made for their meeting with Ghulam Nabi Azad, days after the latter quit the party, and attacked the leadership.

Hooda on Thursday appeared to distance himself from the controversy saying that he has been with the Gandhi family for a long and their demands have been accepted with an election being held for the party president.

Congress Working Committee member Selja wants the leadership to issue a show-cause notice for meeting Azad while Overseas Congress Secretary Virender Vashisht has sought against Chavan for the meeting as well as the comments he made against former party chief Rahul Gandhi in media interactions.

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Sources said Selja has written to Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and Haryana in-charge Vivek Bansal pointing out that the Haryana strongman went ahead with the meeting despite Azad’s attack on the Gandhis. Meanwhile, Vashisht complained to the Disciplinary Committee head Tariq Anwar about the "false statements" by Chavan against Rahul.

Responding to a question, Hooda said, "As far as meeting with Azad is concerned, we had been in the same party for years and we had put forth some demands. Those demands were accepted and presidential polls are taking place. Still, he decided to quit. We asked him the reason."

"People (in reference to Selja) may be frustrated. What can I say about that? When Sonia Gandhi went to Amethi while P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister, who was with them? I was with her. I am still with the Gandhi family," he told reporters here.

Hooda along with G-23 leaders Anand Sharma and Prithviraj Chavan had gone to meet Azad, four days after his resignation from the party.

Also Read | Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit 'a welcome sign', says Congress

Hooda's meeting with Azad was seen as a surprise as the party leadership had acceded to his demands to remove Selja and appoint his confidente Uday Bhan as state chief though he was one of the pillars of the G-23 or change-seekers. He also retained the Legislature party leadership.

Bansal has said that he has received the letter and the leadership would take a call on that.

Even as Congress did not officially comment on the meeting its three leaders had with Azad, Selja has taken the lead in filing the complaint. Sources said she has told the leadership that she was disappointed to see Hooda meeting Azad despite he was given the mandate to run the party affairs in the state.

She is learned to have pointed out the attacks made by Azad on both Sonia and Rahul and announced his plans to launch a party. She believes it has sent the wrong message.

Sources said Selja has said that the meeting of Hooda with Azad "disheartens" and "confuses" party workers. She is of the view that the meeting was not acceptable even as he has given a free hand to run the party in Haryana.

She has asked what was the point in Hooda going to Azad's residence at a time the latter has quit the party and would be floating his own party.