After expelling 10 party veterans on charges of indiscipline last week, the Congress has now moved to take action against its Raebareli MLA Aditi Singh.
The Congress has written to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit seeking Ms. Singh’s disqualification for defying party whip and attending the 36-hour special session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly convened by the Yogi Adityanath-led State government on October 2.
Ms. Singh had attended the session despite a call for boycott by the Opposition parties, landing her party in a spot.
Further triggering speculation on her future, Ms. Singh had also kept away from a much-hyped padayatra in Lucknow led by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to whom she is considered close. Weeks before this, Ms. Singh had also spoken out in support of the Central government decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Aradhana Misra, the Congress leader of legislature party in U.P., said Ms. Singh was served notice on two occasions, including one on October 4, to explain her acts but she did not respond.
Following this, Ms. Misra said the Congress submitted a representation to the Speaker on Tuesday calling for Ms. Singh’s disqualification.
“As per rules, if any person violates the party whip, punitive action can be taken against them,” Ms. Misra said. Ms. Singh is an MLA from the Raebareli Sadar seat, one of the five constituencies in the parliamentary seat of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Her defiance of the Congress has triggered speculation of her possible proximity to the BJP, especially after the death of her father Akhilesh Singh, Raebareli strongman and former MLA.
When asked by a news agency to comment on Ms. Singh’s proximity to the BJP, Ms. Misra said, “Aditiji can answer that question.”
MLA defends decision
Talking to reporters outside the House in October, Ms. Singh had defended her decision. She stated that she rose above party line and tried to talk about development.
“...because that’s what the people elected me for. That is my first and foremost priority. I have always tried to walk the path that I feel is correct, the path that my father has taught me,” she had said.
