In a first evident sign of confrontation between the state Congress and the zonal structure,the UPCC has revoked the suspension and expulsion of two Congress workers against whom action was taken by Allahabad-Varanasi zone president Vivek Singh,who is also MLA from Banda. Abhay Awasthi,former convenor of the Congress Kisan and Majdoor Cell at Allahabad,was suspended in February during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad and Rahgunath Dwivedi,state Congress committee member from Chitrakoot,was expelled for six years in September 2012. Both decisions were revoked by the state Congress on April 25. The development comes as a setback to the zonal structure created by AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi to ensure better organisational management and working in a big state like Uttar Pradesh. The eight zonal presidents were given powers at par with the state president. While there were reports of lack of co-ordination in the past,this is the first time the difference have come out in the open. Both the state unit and the zonal head claim their action was in the best interest of the party. The suspension and the expulsion were done with a good reason,without any personal vendetta and keeping the partys interest and discipline in mind. I have not been officially communicated about revocation of both actions,but if they have done it then it is wrong because it would send a wrong message to party workers, Vivek Singh said. Stating that the move to revoke disciplinary actions were taken in consultation with state president Nirmal Khatri,senior Congress leader and chairman of the disciplinary committee,Ram Krishna Dwivedi,said,The step has been taken in accordance with the constitution of the party and in its best interest. It was taken after listening to all those involved,including the witnesses. In case of Raghunath Dwivedi,zonal president does not have the right to expel a Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee member without the prior permission and knowledge of the state unit. Moreover,Raghunath was not even given chance to explain himself, he said. On Abhay Awasthi,Dwivedi said he is a senior and sincere member and had clarified that he had no bad intention in putting up posters of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi during Kumbh Mela. The posters depicted Sonia Gandhi as Rani Laxmibai and Rahul Gandhi as Lord Shiva. The reason given for suspension was that the Congress is a secular party and depicting leaders in this manner was against the principles of the party.
