Expelled UP Cong veterans threaten parallel outfit

Expelled over their alleged 'anti-Priyanka' stand, the ten veteran Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders have threatened to form a ''parallel outfit'' and launch a statewide agitation against present state leadership.

Terming the 'Pro-Priyanka' leaders as ''intruders'', expelled AICC member and senior UP Congress leader Siraj Mehendi said that party president Sonia Gandhi must ''immediately intervene'' to resolve the crisis.

''The party will be wiped out in UP if the present state leadership is allowed to have its way,'' Mehendi went on to add.

They also questioned Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's authority to order their expulsion from the state unit. ''We respect Priyankaji but even she does not have the authority to order our expulsion,'' said another veteran party leader here.

The leader warned that the expelled leaders could form a parallel outfit if their expulsion was not revoked. ''There will be consequences if we are pushed to the wall,'' he said.

The expelled leaders plan to launch a statewide agitation against the state leadership and expose it.

All these leaders, who included AICC members, former MPs and MLAs, had criticised Priyanka in a ''veiled'' manner over the recent rejig in the state unit following which they were served notices followed by expulsion.

Incidentally, many of the expelled leaders were considered to be close to former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Priyanka had, after the drubbing in UP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, taken upon herself the task of revamping the state unit of the party.

The UP unit got a new president and the entire UPCC was reconstituted with young and fresh faces given important posts while the old guards were made members of an 'Advisory Board'.

The present state leadership comprised mainly those considered to be close to Priyanka.