Disciplinary action against Margaret Alva: Congress

New Delhi, Nov 11: The Congress party on Tuesday, Nov 11 said disciplinary action would be taken against AICC General Secretary Margaret Alva for her 'baseless, unsound and motivated' allegations of nepotism in the party rank and sale of party tickets during the recent Karnataka Assembly polls.

Sources said that Alva has resigned as Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and general secretary after defending herself before the party's Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC). She has submitted her resignation to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, but it is not known whether her resignation has been accepted. Dismissing Mrs Alva's allegations, Gandhi scion and AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said he was happy with the party's ticket distribution.

''I am not unhappy with the way party tickets are being distributed...,'' he told reporters.

Lashing out at Alva, AICC Media Cell Chief Veerappa Moily said her allegations were a 'breach of party discipline', and the DAC would take action against her.

He said it was she who was promoting nepotism in the party. ''She is unhappy because her son has been denied the ticket....She is driven by her own personal motive,'' he said.

Mr Moily said she broke all norms of party discipline by going public with the allegations.

''Party tickets are distributed on the criteria of winnability, talent and loyalty and not because somebody is the son of a party leader.... Hence her allegations are baseless, unsound and motivated,'' he said.

UNI