Alva quits as AICC gen secy

Congress General Secretary Margaret Alva today resigned from her post after her strong criticism of the party on ticket distribution for the Karnataka Assembly polls created a row. But the high command still appeared keen on wielding the axe.

Alva met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last night, soon after appearing before Disciplinary Action Committee chairman A K Antony, and sent her resignation today afternoon.

Alva is in charge of party affairs in several states, including Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and poll-bound Mizoram.

The general secretary, who has been sulking over denial of election ticket to her son Nivedith in Karnataka recently, had alleged that “different yardsticks” were being adopted in deciding party nominations for upcoming elections in six states.

She was, however, snubbed by the AICC, which rejected the charges of sale of tickets and ruled out any probe in the matter, besides maintaining that “no wrongdoing” had happened in the distribution of tickets in the state.

The party high command had also disapproved of her action of going to the media over the issue.

She had asked why her son Nivedith and grandson of former Union minister C K Jaffer Sharief were not given nominations while relatives of two-dozen leaders were given tickets in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

“Were my son and Jaffer Sharief’s grandson anti-national, terrorists or smugglers?” Alva had asked. Alva has also been unhappy over the appointment of her bete noire R V Deshpande as the Karnataka PCC chief recently.

Rahul Gandhi today rejected Alva’s criticism of the party and said he was “not unhappy” with the distribution of tickets in elections.

“I am not unhappy with the way tickets have been given,” he told reporters in brief remarks when asked about Alva’s attack on the party.

To a query about his reported remark that he disfavoured tickets to children of leaders in the party, Gandhi said, “As a general secretary, I have just made some recommendation in favour of younger boys (in ticket distribution).”

The Congress too spared no words in attacking Alva for her charges, accusing her of serious breach of discipline and terming her charges motivated.

“She is unhappy that her son was denied a ticket in the Karnataka Assembly elections. The motivation is clearly there ...otherwise she would not have talked of morals. It is not a moral issue,” Congress chief spokesperson Veerappa Moily told reporters.

Antony met Gandhi today and is believed to have submitted a report on the issue, amidst speculation that some action would be taken against her as the party would not like to be seen as being lenient with elections round the corner in six states.

“It is now for the Congress President to take a decision” was the refrain at the AICC after the meet.

Former Law Minister P Shiv Shankar, who quit the party in 2004, called Alva today. RL Jalappa, another party leader, said in Bangalore he agreed with Alva and added that he had in fact made the same charge in writing to the party command.