Rajkumar Chauhan quits Congress

“Deepak Babaria called a meeting in his office on April 21 and around 25 senior functionaries from the North West Delhi constituency were present. While I was putting forth my views, Babaria ji asked me to get out five times. Due to this, I have submitted my resignation”, said Chauhan

Former Delhi minister Rajkumar Chauhan resigned from the Congress on Wednesday, alleging “humiliation” by Delhi Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria, striking a blow to the Congress’s preparations for the Lok Sabha elections in the Capital. Chauhan was in the race to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the North West Delhi constituency, but after he was overlooked, he opposed the candidature of Udit Raj, speaking about it openly in closed-door party meetings.

Congress workers protest against Udit Raj’s candidature for the Lok Sabha polls at the DPCC office on April 22. (Arvind Yadav/HT File)

Chauhan, a four-time MLA from Mangolpuri who served in the Delhi Cabinet under Sheila Dikshit three times, submitted his resignation to Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely.

“Deepak Babaria called a meeting in his office on April 21 and around 25 senior functionaries from the North West Delhi constituency were present. While I was putting forth my views, Babaria ji asked me to get out five times. Due to this, I have submitted my resignation. They have fielded a candidate who has been involved in controversies. He has got a Congress ticket but is not going to win. I have been working for Congress for 50 years; my father and grandfather were also with Congress, but I was asked to get out. I cannot tolerate so much humiliation, and that is why I have resigned,” Chauhan told HT.

However, Babaria countered Chauhan’s claims, saying he used foul language.

Babaria said: “Rajkumar Chauhan broke the dignity of the meeting and used foul language due to which I had no option but to ask him to leave. That should not have been the reason for someone to resign. It is unfortunate. Everyone in the party should maintain dignity and work for the victory of party candidates.”

Congress is contesting three of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is contesting four seats. Congress has fielded youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar from North East, former MP JP Agrawal from Chandni Chowk, and former MP Udit Raj from North West.

Chauhan’s resignation comes two days after a group of Congress workers staged a protest at the Delhi Congress office against Udit Raj’s candidature, calling him a “turncoat” and an “outsider”, when Raj and the two other candidates were addressing the media.

In the resignation letter, seen by HT, Chauhan said he spoke his mind in the meeting and did not speak against party leaders in media interactions. “I have always maintained discipline in the party. Putting up your views in party meetings is not against discipline. We have internal democracy in the party and can express our feelings on party platforms,” Chauhan said.

Chauhan said he has no plan to join another political party.

The protests prompted Delhi Congress disciplinary committee chairman Dr Narender Nath to launch a probe into it. “The disciplinary committee is identifying people involved in the protest and disciplinary action will be taken against them,” said Nath.

Nath said a complaint was also lodged with the committee about the arguments between Chauhan and Babaria on Sunday, but did not disclose the identity of the complainant. “Since Chauhan is a member of the AICC, the complaint has been forwarded to AICC for suitable action,” said Nath.

Arvinder Singh Lovely official response awaited….

Udit Raj alleged that the protest was mobilised by Chauhan. “The resignation of Rajkumar Chauhan has set Congress workers free in North West. He was not working for the party and always kept his personal interests above the party’s interests. Now, we will strongly contest and will the election,” said Raj.

Chauhan previously quit the Congress in 2019 when the party did not give him a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, but rejoined the party for the 2020 Delhi assembly polls.