Patiala: Senior Congress leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday termed the suspension of former Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur from the party as “unconstitutional” and questioned the process adopted for the disciplinary action.
Jalalpur was recently suspended from the Congress over allegations of making statements against senior party leaders. Following the action, Channi, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, Sanour constituency in-charge Harry Mann, Sanjeev Kalu and several other Congress leaders visited Jalalpur at his residence in Jalalpur village.
Speaking to reporters, Channi said the suspension letter was not in accordance with the Congress constitution. He claimed that the chairman of the party’s disciplinary committee does not have the authority to suspend any All India Congress Committee (AICC), Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) member or MLA.
He said the disciplinary committee could only recommend action to the state Congress president, who would then forward the matter to the party high command in Delhi for a final decision.
Warning against arbitrary disciplinary action, Channi said that if such suspension letters continued to be issued in this manner, the Congress would eventually be left without workers.
He described Madan Lal Jalalpur as a committed party leader who had played an important role in the Congress’ electoral victories and had himself won Assembly elections in the past.
