National

Makwana echoes Alva’s charges, seeks probe

NEW DELHI: Veteran Congressman and president of the party’s Scheduled Castes Cell, Yogendra Makwana, on Monday echoed All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Margaret Alva’s charge that party ticket for coming Assembly elections were being sold and said the matter should be looked into.

Upset at the denial of ticket to candidates suggested by him, Mr. Makwana said he had come across at least two women aspirants who had been asked to cough up money by decision-makers in the party. He refused to name them while stating that he was willing to face the consequences for speaking out.

On Sunday, Mr. Makwana had accused the Congress leadership of “step-motherly” treatment. He has called for a meeting of friends in the Capital on November 15 to decide on his future course of action. He clarified that he would not be joining any party but did not rule out forming a front of his own.

Ms. Alva met the party’s disciplinary action committee (DAC) chairperson A. K. Antony on Monday in connection with her allegation that ticket were sold during the Karnataka Assembly elections. The allegation was referred to the DAC on Friday – a day after she went public. No details of what transpired at the meeting were forthcoming.

Mr. Makwana’s remarks have confirmed apprehensions within the Congress circles that silence over Ms. Alva’s comments would set off a chain reaction, something the party can ill afford ahead of the crucial Assembly elections, billed as a “mini-general election.”

At an official briefing, spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan rejected Ms. Alva’s allegation. “There is absolutely no truth in this allegation; in the Congress, ticket are distributed on the basis of talent, commitment to party and winnability.”

Initially, the Congress had dismissed Ms. Alva’s remarks as an “emotional outburst” while expressing its disapproval of her going public. As to whether Ms. Alva would be divested of her posts – she is general secretary of seven States and also a member of the Congress election committee – Ms. Natarajan was non-committal.

On Thursday last, Ms. Alva openly questioned the presence of a number of relatives of party leaders among the candidates being fielded for the Assembly elections. Her complaint was that an entirely different yardstick had been applied at the time of ticket distribution for the Karnakata elections when many a Congress leader’s relative – including her son – were denied a chance to contest because of family connections.

Her “outburst” came after it became evident that as many as 23 Congress candidates were relatives of senior party leaders.

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