Congress leader Gufran-e-Azam expelled from party

BHOPAL: Senior Congress leader Gufran-e-Azam was today expelled from the party for indulging in anti-party activities.

"Gufran-e-Azam is being expelled from the party by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for indulging in anti-party activities and making unnecessary statements against the party leadership," state Congress' chief spokesman K K Mishra told reporters here.

Azam was indulging in these activities with an aim to directly benefit BJP, he alleged.

Recently, Azam had publicly criticised Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi after the dismal performance of the party in the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.

Azam had questioned their leadership credentials and made statements against them publicly, Mishra said. However, terming his expulsion from the party as "dictatorship of Congress," Azam told reporters that he received information about it (expulsion) from the media.

He said by expelling him from the party without any evidence, proved that whatever charges he had levelled against the party leadership were true.

Azam said the decision was unjustified. He warned that he may go to court against the Congress' decision as according to the party's constitution, before expelling any member it is mandatory to issue a notice and seek reply from the person, but the same was not followed in his case.