Priyanka Chaturvedi forced to leave Congress for singing?

New Delhi, April 20: Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has resigned from the party and has joined Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra.

Chaturvedi, who was also convenor of the Congress' media cell, quit the party after some Congress leaders who misbehaved with her in Mathura were reinstated in the party on April 15 by Jyotiraditya Scindia, Congress in-charge of Western Uttar Pradesh.

These Congress leaders reportedly misbehaved with Priyanka during the press conference on Rafale deal in Mathura a few days ago.

After Chaturvedi filed the complaint, the Congress suspended eight Mathura Congress leaders: Ashok Chakleshwar, Umesh Pandit, Pratap Singh, Abdul Jabbar, Girdhari Lal Pathak, Bhuri Singh Jayas, Pravin Thakur and Yatindra Mukadam.

They were reinstated in the party by Scindia after a written apology from them. The reasoning of their reinstatement was that the party needed expelled leaders to win the Lok Sabha election in Mathura.

Though Chaturvedi has cited reinstatement of these leaders as the main reason for her decision to quit the Congress, but a party insider tells OneIndia recent fame that Chaturvedi got is the main reason for her departure from the party.

"On April 12, Priyanka dominated social media for her singing attack on Irani, and on April 15, leaders who misbehaved with her were reinstated in the Congress. Now, you do the maths," says the insider.

Chaturvedi had got unexpected accolades on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook after she reprised a spoof of the title track of a popular television serial of yesteryears, 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'.

Chaturvedi sang, "Qualifications ke bhi roop badalte hain, naye-naye saanche mein dhalte hain, ek degree aati hai, ek degree jaati hai, bante affidavit naye hain'' (Qualifications keep changing, keep assuming newer forms, one degree comes, another degree goes, new affidavits keep coming).

It is notable that Irani had shot into fame after her role in 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.

According to the insider, reinstatement of the Mathura Congress leaders was planned as a final blow to Chaturvedi, who was already miffed as she didn't get Congress ticket for Lok Sabha elections from a Mumbai seat.

"First, she was lobbying for the Congress ticket from North West Mumbai seat, but party denied her ticket and fielded Sanjay Nirupam. She was also interested in contesting from Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency, but could not succeed as actor Urmila Matondkar was made party candidate. Had she remained in the party after the reinstatement of Mathura leaders then it would have sent a message that she was ready for such behaviour in future also," says the insider.

Matondkar had joined the Congress after meeting Rahul Gandhi on March 27, and two days later she was given party ticket.

Priyanka was also not happy with the exposure that she was getting as Convenor of Congress media cell.

One day, this scribe overheard Priyanka as she was complaining to a news channel reporter: Tum Mujhey kyo nahi dikhatey ho? (Why don't you cover me properly?)

The in-charges of Congress media cell use their position to keep their competitors within limits through journalists.

Since journalists need the help of media cell in-charges on a day-to-day basis to cover Congress, they are coerced to follow their directions. If a journalist is only covering Congress then he/she can't do it properly by angering media cell in-charge.

Some journalists don't give proper coverage to those Congress leaders who don't have good relations with the incumbent media cell in-charges.

When Janardan Dwivedi was Congress media cell in-charge then once he had openly threatened a journalist of a popular news channel who was asking uncomfortable questions during off the record meeting with reporters.

Dwivedi had told that journalist: lagta hai tumhare boss sey baat karni padegi. (It seems I will have to talk to your boss).