Congress party on Sunday expelled 10 of its leaders including several former state ministers and AICC members for six years for indulging in acts of 'indiscipline.'
The expelled leaders include former MP Santosh Singh, also an AICC member, former Uttar Pradesh Home Minister Ram Krishna Dwivedi, AICC member and former state minister Satyadev Tripathi.
Dwivedi was also the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the UP Congress, which has expelled the leaders from the party.
Others include AICC members Rajendra Singh Solanki, Siraj Mehandi, MLA Bhudahr Mishra, former MLAs Vinod Chaudhary, Nek Chandra Pandey, and former UP Youth Congress president Swayan Prakash Goswami.
"It has come to the knowledge of the UP Congress Disciplinary Committee that you all are continuously and publicly opposing some decisions of AICC related to UP Congress Committee by holding meetings. These meetings have maligned the image of the Congress party. This conduct of yours is in violation of the party's ethics and policies," reads the order.
It further says: "Disciplinary Committee had been served a notice, seeking your responses in 24 hours. The party is not satisfied with your replies. Therefore, you are being expelled for six years under disciplinary rules."
Speaking to over the phone, former MLC Siraj Mehandi said he did not receive any notice from the party and said they only wanted that party leaders over 50 years age should be given their due respect.
"A meeting was held at former MP Santosh Singh's residence to pay respect to Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary on November 14. At the meeting, several things including the party's decision to retire leaders over 50 years age were discussed," he said.
He said: "We have been working for the party for over 40 years. We want youth leaders to be promoted in the party but where shall we go now at this state?"
The Congress leader said that they had unsuccessfully sought Sonia Gandhi's appointment to raise the issue. He denied having received any notice from the party. "I learned about it from the media," he said.
Satyadev Tripathi, a former state minister, said he did not know the reason behind the order.
"I could not know the reason behind the expulsion order. I did not get any notice from the party. The constitution mandates to provide seven days to its leaders for the notice," Tripathi said.
The Congress had served the notice to them on November 21.
( With inputs from ANI )