New Delhi, Feb 2 (NI24) Senior Congress leader fromAndhra Pradesh G Venkataswamy, who caused a flutter demandingthe resignation of Sonia Gandhi as party chief, could be shownthe door.Indications to this effect were available with UnionMinister M Veerappa Moily, who is in charge of party affairsin Andhra Pradesh, saying that his "viciousness" in attackingGandhi and his "arrogance" certainly warranted action.
Replying to questions, Moily, however, did not specifythe form of disciplinary action against the 82-year-old formerDeputy Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha.
Congress sources have said that the party chief hasthe power to summarily expel even a CWC member for anti-partyactivities.
"We have taken serious note of his arrogance, viciousattitude and such actions definitely warrants action," Moilytold PTI.
Asked about the type of action he was referring to, hemerely said: "Wait and see."
Moily said Congress has given everything toVenkataswamy and his family. "It is really shocking how he isrepaying his gratiute to the party which has endowed him thehighest benefits. He is highly ungrateful to a party whichnurtured him as a mother...(his remarks) are absolutelyabsurd, irresponsible, insensitive and grossly violative ofthe norms and standards of discipline on the Indian NationalCongress," he said.
The Law Minister said he spoke with Venkataswamy thismorning with regard to the veracity of his statement.
"He said he has indeed made such a statement. I askedhim whether he will withdraw the statement, the remarks madeagainst the Congress president. He said no (he will not),"Moily said.
Meanwhile, Venkataswamy said in Hyderabad that he was ready to withdraw all his comments. "I had to make thosecomments because I was worried that party may suffer inTelangana region. I am ready to withdraw all comments...Irequest her (Gandhi) separate Telangana".
The Telangana leader had demanded that Italy-bornSonia Gandhi step down as party chief and make way for an"Indian".
In a no-holds-barred attack on Congress leadership,Venkataswamy alleged corruption has grown and that the nationand party were suffering from various ills. He also criticisedthe party over moves to tie up with Praja Rajyam Party headedby actor Chiranjeevi.
Congress sources said Venkataswamy''s attack needed tobe seen in the light of the fact that he was soon going to beout of the CWC which Gandhi is reconstituting.
Meanwhile, Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh V ArunKumar termed Venkataswamy''s outburst against Sonia Gandhi as a"shameful" act..
Kumar, the MP from Rajahmundry in coastal Andhra, said Venkataswamy, a CWC member, should not forget that he was oneamong several Congress leaders who "bowed before Sonia Gandhi"asking her to take over the reins of the party in 1998.
Kumar said Congress'' decision to tie up with actor Chiranjeevi''s Praja Rajyam Party is based on a proposal bylate Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
"It was YSR who wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi on May18, 2009 two days after the elections saying that PRP shouldbe included in the cabinet to strengthen Congress," he said.
He said Venkatasamy should be "ashamed"
of making sucha statement demanding the resignation of the CongressPresident.
"No one should forget the past...Venkatasamy left theCongress in 1971 and again joined the party in 1973. He wasmade a central minister. He should not forget the past," hesaid.
On Venkatasamy criticising Congress'' moves to tie upwith PRP, Kumar said just because Chiranjeevi is an"integrationist" it is not proper to say the party has bowedbefore him.
"Telangana and integration of the state and tie upwith PRP are two different issues. He should not confuse thetwo issues," he said.
