Congress 'expels' Vasan after he resigns from party

Hours after former Union Minister G K Vasan announced his resignation, Congress on Monday "expelled" him, in an action aimed at demonstrating that the party would not tolerate rebellion.

Vasan was shown the door after he targeted the AICC over the way the leadership handled the affairs of the Tamil Nadu unit and allegedly ignored the merit of leaders.

At the AICC briefing, party spokesman Ajoy Kumar said that Vasan has been "expelled" with immediate effect for his "inappropriate" statements.

Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik told reporters that parting of ways by Vasan could not be considered a split in the Tamil Nadu unit as the "majority" of the leaders and the cadres are with the party.

Wasnik, in charge of party affairs in the state, debunked all the charges and claims made by Vasan while quitting the party and planning to start a new outfit.

The Congress general secretary also rejected suggestions that Vasan's parting of ways was reflective of the weakness of the central leadership of the party in the wake of the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls. Congress had scored a duck in Tamil Nadu during the Lok Sabha elections in May.

"It is a reflection on the individual concerned. When Congress was in power, he remained with the Congress and enjoyed power and when the party lost in the Lok Sabha elections,.....he is leaving," he said.

"I am not aware of any single reason (for the parting of ways by Vasan). He has enjoyed all respect within party. He was Minister in the UPA government and was an important leader of the party in Tamil Nadu", Wasnik said as he dismissed as "just baseless" all the accusations of Vasan.

He accused Vasan of "spreading absolute falsehood" on the issue of allowing photos of Kamraj and G K Moopanar on the membership cards.

Wasnik said the action was taken against Vasan as it has not received any resignation from him.