Tripura Cong leader declares support to Pawar

In his letter to the Congress president, Nath said the 8220;senseless expulsions8221; of three senior leaders from the party without debating the issue raised by them would have 8220;disastrous consequences.8221; This is first time a senior Congress leader from Tripura has come out openly against the leadership.

But no action has been taken against him and no show-cause demanded though Congress president Sonia Gandhi knew of Nath8217;s plan as early as ten days ago through a fax message sent from Agartala by a senior leader.

The expulsions, Nath said, had set in motion a chain reaction in the Northeast.

The dismissal of B B Dutta, founder general secretary of the Northeast Congress Coordination Committee from 1978, should be a 8220;cause for concern8221; to every Congressmen in the region, Nath said in his letter.

The issue raised by the three former CWC members was legitimate, the letter went on, adding it was 8220;in the interest of country8217;s security interest which is always threatened from inside and outside.8221;

He had nothing against her personally, Nath emphasised, urging the party president to guard against the 8220;bunch of sycophants around her8221;.

The letter concluded by asking her to take 8220;whatever action8221; she deemed fit 8220;in the interest of the party and the country.8221; When contacted on telephone in Agartala, Nath confirmed that he had sent the letter by fax on June 7.

Asked if action would be taken against Nath, Ambika Soni, AICC general secretary in charge of the Northeast, said she was unaware of any communication sent by him to the Congress president.

Meanwhile, the breakaway Meghalaya Congress Legislature Party received a shot in the arm today with the addition of the Methron Marak led by Losting A Sangma.

With this, the strength of the MCLP in the Assembly has gone up to ten. However, this is being contested by the ruling Congress on the ground that four of the 25 MLAs were expelled.