Date:13/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/13/stories/2008111358680100.htm

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Alva removed from all party posts

Special Correspondent

Margaret Alva

NEW DELHI: Senior leader Margaret Alva’s resignation from the post of All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary was accepted on Wednesday and her work reassigned. She has also been removed from the Congress Working Committee and the Central Election Committee of the party.

Ms. Alva put in her papers on Tuesday after she came in for sharp criticism from colleagues for her allegation that ticket for elections was being sold within the party.

Briefing mediapersons later in the day, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said there was no need for an enquiry into her allegation as it had not been substantiated.

The announcement that Ms. Alva’s resignation had been accepted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi was made in the morning by AICC general secretary in charge of organisational affairs Janardan Dwivedi.

As general secretary, Ms. Alva was in charge of six States: Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab & Chandigarh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

Summarising the sequence of events that led to the acceptance of Ms. Alva’s resignation, Mr. Dwivedi said she had been asked to meet the chairman of the disciplinary committee of the party to explain her allegation made before the media on November 6.

“Consequent upon this meeting, her resignation from the general secretaryship of the party has been accepted by the Congress president with immediate effect.”

At the party’s routine briefing, Mr. Ahmed clarified that Ms. Alva continued to be a member of the Congress. Asked if she would be roped in for campaigning, he said: “If she is willing to campaign, we will use her.”