Congress culls rown: Expels ex-MLA after Ghanapriya remarks on Kharge, Priyanka backfire

Bhubaneswar (The Uttam Hindu): Questioning the age of the Congress leadership and party president Mallikarjun Kharge has proved costly for former Odisha MLA Mohammad Mukim. The party has taken strict disciplinary action and expelled Mukim from the party with immediate effect. He is accused of engaging in anti-party activities. An order issued by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) clarifies that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has accepted the proposal to remove Mukim from primary membership.

This action follows an explosive letter written by Mukim to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. In the letter, Mukim bluntly stated that Mallikarjun Kharge is 83 years old and his age is no longer in his favor. Mukim argued that the kind of hustle and bustle, hard work, and ability to connect with people required as the head of an opposition party are simply not possible at this age. He suggested that Kharge should now move to an "advisor" role, and the party's leadership should be handed over to Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or another young leader.

In his letter, Mukim, a former MLA from Barabati-Cuttack, also expressed deep displeasure over the growing distance between the leadership and grassroots workers. He claimed that despite being an MLA, he had been trying to meet Rahul Gandhi for the past three years, but was unsuccessful. Calling it "emotional isolation," Mukim said it wasn't just his personal pain, but the condition of workers across the country. Citing examples of leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said that leaders leave the party only when they feel neglected and unheard.

The former MLA had also linked the recent electoral defeats in Haryana, Maharashtra, and other states to a deepening organizational crisis. He advised that the organization should be rebuilt by incorporating leaders like Sachin Pilot, DK Shivakumar, and Shashi Tharoor into the party's core team. Muqeem, whose daughter is currently an MLA, had described himself as a lifelong dedicated party worker, but the Congress party has expelled him, citing his rhetoric and questions about the leadership as indiscipline.