Sonia Gandhi relieves Bihar Congress chief with immediate effect

The Congress has 27 MLAs in Bihar

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday removed Ashok Choudhary as the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief with immediate effect.

"State unit Vice President Kaukab Quadri will look after the party affairs until a new appointment is made," said party General Secretary in-charge of Bihar CP Joshi.

The development comes in the wake of recent turbulence in the state unit which saw senior leaders of the party being sent to Patna to stave off any possible break-up.

Choudhary did not attend the meeting called by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi earlier this month. Party sources had said Choudhary was not invited for Gandhi's meeting with MLAs and MLCs.

Choudhury had also alleged that some central party leaders were fuelling a rebellion against him.

The Congress has 27 MLAs in the state.

Choudhary had met party chief Sonia Gandhi on August 31.

The party had sent senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and J.P. Agarwal to the state earlier last month to take stock of the situation following reports of rift in the state unit.