Nirupam in Cong: Dutt attacks, Alva defends

Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Sunil Dutt tonight attacked the Congress high command’s decision to induct former Shiv Sena M...

Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Sunil Dutt tonight attacked the Congress high command’s decision to induct former Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Nirupam into the party saying AICC chief Sonia Gandhi had not been given correct information about him.

But party general secretary Margaret Alva, in-charge of affairs in Maharashtra, defended the induction saying it was done after consulting leaders from the state, including Dutt.

However, Dutt said: ‘‘If Sonia Gandhi knew the truth about Sanjay Nirupam and if she was given correct information about him, she would not have taken a tainted person like him into the party fold.’’

He said Sonia was being ‘‘misguided’’ with ‘‘incorrect’’ information that he had agreed to Nirupam’s induction. ‘‘If I had agreed to his (Nirupam’s) induction, I would have been the first to accord him a reception,’’ Dutt said at a meeting organised by North Mumbai District Congress Committee chief Kamruddin Merchant.

Alva said Nirupam was admitted into Congress after deliberations with state leaders including those belonging to minority communities, as well as Dutt. Besides, Nirupam has also apologised personally to Dutt for having made remarks against Congress when he had been in Sena, she told Aaj Tak.