Sulking Reddy defies leadership

But the veteran leader from Andhra Pradesh has reportedly indicated his unwillingness to do so, citing the manner in which the last DAC meeting was called to expel former Union Minister and P V Narasimha Rao loyalist Matang Singh from the party.

A senior AICC functionary here described Reddy’s attitude as “uncooperative” but hoped that the senior CWC member would come around soon. The other members of the DAC are Manmohan Singh, R K Dhawan, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Oscar Fernandes.

Biswal, now a party MLA, was handed a show-cause notice by AICC general secretary in charge of Orissa, Ghulam Nabi Azad, after the Assembly polls in the State, on charges of criticising the party leadership before the media. Party sources said that by convening a DAC, the high command wanted to send a clear signal in the party that indiscipline would not be tolerated and will be dealt with firmly, especially after several State units have shown their propensity to disobey the high command’s directives.

Apparently, Reddy is miffed at how the party high command made him sign on the dotted line against Matang Sinh in return for a promise for a Rajya Sabha berth and later backed out from the deal. Reddy was not given a Rajya Sabha berth since he was among several senior leaders, including Natwar Singh, Ram Niwas Mirdha, P Shiv Shankar and Balram Jakhar, who had contested last year’s Lok Sabha elections and lost.

Reddy, who is said to be among several senior leaders who are unhappy with the present state of affairs in the party, had sent in his resignation from the CWC after the party’s Lok Sabha debacle last year. Although the resignation was not accepted, he has chosen to keep away from most of the CWC meetings since then. At the time of Matang Sinh’s expulsion, he had, however issued a strong statement supporting Sonia’s leadership.

The AICC’s DAC is the nodal body which decides the kind of action to be taken against party MLAs, MPs and AICC members who are charged with anti-party activities or indiscipline.