Congress expels ex-Odisha MLA who flagged Rahul Gandhi's 'inaccessibility'

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has approved the proposal for the expulsion of former Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim from the primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities. Mohammed Moquim had represented the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly constituency in Odisha.

An official notice issued by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) informed about the decision taken by the party's central leadership.

The notice stated, "This is for the information of all concerned that AICC has approved the proposal for the expulsion of Md. Moquim from the primary membership of the party, due to anti-party activities."

The development comes shortly after Moquim wrote a letter to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday, expressing concern over what he described as the difficult phase currently being faced by the Congress party. In the letter, Moquim sought Sonia Gandhi's guidance and called for changes in leadership to address organisational challenges and electoral setbacks.

"I have written a letter to Sonia Gandhi stating that the party is going through a difficult phase and needs her advice and new leadership," he said.

"Age is not on AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's side," he added, saying that the Congress should bring forward young leaders to revitalise the organisation and strengthen its connection with the electorate.

Expressing confidence in the party's internal decision-making process, Moquim said that his concerns would be examined by the top leadership. "I know Sonia ji and the CWC members will definitely discuss this," he added.

Meanwhile, in his letter to Sonia Gandhi, Moquin expressed deep anguish over the Congress Party's organisational decline and leadership failures. He warned that the party was losing its legacy not because of external political opponents but due to decisions taken within the organisation. Describing the situation as unprecedented, he said it was demoralising for party workers at various levels and urged urgent corrective steps along with renewed leadership.

Moquim also flagged what he described as Rahul Gandhi's inaccessibility, stating that he had not been able to meet him for the past three years. He asserted that Congress was slipping away due to internal decisions rather than external defeats.

Further, he cautioned that the party's six consecutive Assembly election losses in Odisha since the year 2000, along with national-level setbacks, were the result of decisions made within the party and not due to opposition strategies.