'Unceremoniously removed' as chairman of AICC OBC cell, says Ajay Yadav; smells 'conspiracy'

Chandigarh: Senior Haryana Congress leader Ajay Singh Yadav on Thursday alleged that he was "unceremoniously removed" as the chairman of the AICC OBC cell, saying he smelled a conspiracy behind the move.

The Congress on Thursday appointed Anil Jaihind, a social activist from Bihar, as the chairman of the All-India Congress Committee's (AICC) Other Backward Classes (OBC) department, replacing Captain Ajay Singh Yadav (retd).

"Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Anil Jaihind (Anil Kumar Yadav) as the chairman of the AICC's OBC department with immediate effect. The party appreciates the contributions of the outgoing chairman, Captain Ajay Singh Yadav (retd)," the Congress said in a statement.

However, hours after Jaihind's appointment, Ajay Yadav hit out at his own party.

"I have been unceremoniously removed as the chairman by the Congress president. This a conspiracy by a coterie to humiliate me," the 66-year-old former Haryana minister alleged in a post on X.

"I have seen many ups and downs in my 40-year political career. I had resigned (from the party) but was requested by the PS of Rahul Gandhi, Kaushal Vidhyarthi, to withdraw my resignation.

"A parallel OBC NGO was being given weightage (by a group) led by Navin Jahind to organise seminars. So I am not really surprised by my removal. I will further elaborate (my stand) in a press conference," Ajay Yadav said in the post.

Earlier in an X post in Hindi, Ajay Yadav said, "I thank UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who entrusted me with the responsibility (as OBC chairman) for three years. I worked efficiently... I wish Anil Jaihind all the best. Hope he will work for the backward classes and take forward the ideology of our leader Rahul Gandhi."

Soon after the Assembly elections in Haryana in 2024, Ajay Yadav had announced to quit the party alleging "shabby treatment" after Sonia Gandhi left the post of party president.

On October 17, 2024, Yadav said he was quitting the party and also resigning as the chairman of AICC's OBC cell.

However, on October 19, Ajay Yadav took a U-turn and said he was a "Congressman by birth" and would remain a Congressman "till my last breath".

The senior politician had said he was "prevailed upon" by his son and former MLA Chiranjeev Rao to "forget the past" and work for the Congress.