Nirupam likely to get clean chit from AICC

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam is likely to get a clean chit from the AICC on the issue of the publishing of an unsigned article criticising Congress leaders in a party journal, sources have said.

Earlier this week, Nirupam was served a showcause notice by AICC’s disciplinary action committee headed by A K Anthony this week. However, sources said that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Mumbai, had heard Nirupam out and was convinced that the error was the result of an unintentional lapse. They added that the Mumbai Congress chief had also apologised to Rahul for the lapse.

An unsigned article in the party journal, Congress Darshan, criticised late PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s policies on Kashmir and China. It also called Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s father a “fascist soldier”. Nirupam, who heads the party magazine, had explained to Rahul that there was an oversight and there was no motive behind it, said sources.

“Rahul believes Nirupam is a hardworking leader. He had not intentionally done any wrong to undermine the party. It was a mistake. But since his intentions were clean, there was no need of any action against him,” the sources added.