New Delhi: Former Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha was suspended from the party Tuesday with immediate effect for “anti-party activities”.
The announcement was made on the Maharashtra Congress Twitter account.
Shri Sanjay Jha has been suspended from the Congress Party with immediate effect for anti-party activities and breach of discipline. pic.twitter.com/TaT0gWbCc7
— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) July 14, 2020
“Shri Sanjay Jha has been suspended from the Congress Party with immediate effect for anti-party activities and breach of discipline,” the tweet read.
Speaking to ThePrint, Jha said he only got to know of his suspension through the media.
“I wasn’t informed about it from anyone within the party. The party did not even tell me what it believed were my alleged misdemeanours that got me suspended,” Jha said.
He said he is disappointed, and expected the party would extend this “minimum respect” to him.
“This is the least you can do for people who are relentlessly fighting for the Congress even today. They could have called me and spoken to me about their concerns,” Jha said.
Also read: Congress fossilised, can’t beat BJP with such laid-back approach: Party spokesperson Sanjay Jha
What led to his suspension
Jha’s suspension comes on a day when the Congress is facing political crisis in Rajasthan thanks to a revolt by Sachin Pilot, who was sacked as the deputy CM and the state party chief earlier in the day.
Jha had been tweeting through the day against the Congress leadership and its handling of the crisis.
First, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Now, Sachin Pilot.
Who next?
Watch this space!
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020
“This is more of a manifestation of the intolerance within the party for dissent. I have supported Sachin Pilot openly and I hope that isn’t the cause for this suspension,” Jha said.
The suspension comes almost a month after he was removed as the Congress’ national spokesperson, after he wrote a column critical of the party leadership and also gave interviews echoing the same.
Subsequently, Jha had resigned as president of the Maharashtra unit of the All India Professionals Congress (AIPC), stating his “political outspokenness” conflicts with his “official position”.
Also read: Congress doing politics only sometimes, says Sandeep Dikshit, echoes Sanjay Jha’s concerns