Congress suspends Sanjay Jha for 'anti-party activities'

Former Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha was on Tuesday suspended from the party "for anti-party activities and breach of discipline". Last month, Jha was dropped as All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson and Abhishek Dutt and Sadhna Bharti were appointed as national media panellists of the party.

Mumbai: Congress leader and former spokesperson Sanjay Jha has been suspended for 'anti-party activities and breach of discipline', the party's Maharashtra unit said on Tuesday.

The entrepreneur-turned-politician's suspension from the Congress comes weeks after he wrote a newspaper article critical of the country's oldest political party.

• First, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
  
  Now, Sachin Pilot.
  
  Who next?
  
  Watch this space!

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  First, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
  
  Now, Sachin Pilot.
  
  Who next?
  
  Watch this space!

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

  ">

  First, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
  
  Now, Sachin Pilot.
  
  Who next?
  
  Watch this space!

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

Jha has been suspended with immediate effect for "anti-party activities and breach of discipline", Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said in a statement here.

• For five years Sachin Pilot gave his blood , tears, toil and sweat for the Congress party between 2013-18. The Congress came back from a wretched 21 seats to 100.
  
  We just gave him a performance bonus. We are so meritocratic. We are so transparent.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  For five years Sachin Pilot gave his blood , tears, toil and sweat for the Congress party between 2013-18. The Congress came back from a wretched 21 seats to 100.
  
  We just gave him a performance bonus. We are so meritocratic. We are so transparent.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

  ">

  For five years Sachin Pilot gave his blood , tears, toil and sweat for the Congress party between 2013-18. The Congress came back from a wretched 21 seats to 100.
  
  We just gave him a performance bonus. We are so meritocratic. We are so transparent.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

Thorat is also a minister in the state, where the Congress is part of the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition. Soon after the article appeared in a leading English daily last month, Congress had removed Jha as a national spokesperson of the party.

• There is a simple solution to the Rajasthan conundrum:
  
  Sachin Pilot should be made CM
  
  Mr Ashok Gehlot ( already 3 time CM ) must be given a senior organisational role to revive weak states.
  
  A new leader appointed as head of RPCC
  
  Where there’s a will there is a way.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  There is a simple solution to the Rajasthan conundrum:
  
  Sachin Pilot should be made CM
  
  Mr Ashok Gehlot ( already 3 time CM ) must be given a senior organisational role to revive weak states.
  
  A new leader appointed as head of RPCC
  
  Where there’s a will there is a way.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

  ">

  There is a simple solution to the Rajasthan conundrum:
  
  Sachin Pilot should be made CM
  
  Mr Ashok Gehlot ( already 3 time CM ) must be given a senior organisational role to revive weak states.
  
  A new leader appointed as head of RPCC
  
  Where there’s a will there is a way.

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

Reacting to his suspension, Jha wondered what "anti-party activities" he had indulged in to invite the action from the Congress. "I have just seen the press release. The least the Congress party could have done was to actually reach out to me and tell me that we are suspending you and these are the alleged acts of yours that have violated the protocol of the party constitution," he told a private news channel.

• The only way political parties will survive and prosper is when the only criteria for growth is performance and delivery.
  
  In 2013 assembly elections , CM Gehlot delivered 21 seats (lowest ever).
  
  He is rewarded by becoming CM in 2018. For the third time!!!!!
  
  2019 LS: 0
  
  OK?

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The only way political parties will survive and prosper is when the only criteria for growth is performance and delivery.
  
  In 2013 assembly elections , CM Gehlot delivered 21 seats (lowest ever).
  
  He is rewarded by becoming CM in 2018. For the third time!!!!!
  
  2019 LS: 0
  
  OK?

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

  ">

  The only way political parties will survive and prosper is when the only criteria for growth is performance and delivery.
  
  In 2013 assembly elections , CM Gehlot delivered 21 seats (lowest ever).
  
  He is rewarded by becoming CM in 2018. For the third time!!!!!
  
  2019 LS: 0
  
  OK?

  — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) July 14, 2020

"I believe we are showing an extremely intolerant culture," Jha added.

(With inputs from PTI)