None above party: Cong on Karti-Elangovan tussle

"No individual is above the party", Congress said today in the backdrop of remarks by certain party leaders, including Karti Chidambaram, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I can straightway tell you one thing that no individual is above the party and party will take an appropriate decision after considering the notice and the reply thereto of the individual concerned", party spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
He was asked about the party reaction over statement of Karti, son of senior leader P Chidambaram, that Tamil Nadu PCC does not have the authority to call for his explanation and issue him a show cause notice for alleged anti-party remarks.

He, however, preceded his remark by saying that he will refer the issue to AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik incharge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu and take full information from him.
He said he was certain that the Tamil Nadu party unit President E V K S Elangovan, who is a "very seasoned and experienced" person, will deal with the issue in accordance with the constitution and the person concerned will be given a fair opportunity to explain himself.
"If I read Karti's statement correctly, he himself is saying that he will like the matter to be adjudicated upon at the level of the AICC and by the Congress High Command", Surjewala said.

Karti had sought to turn the tables on Elangovan, who slapped a showcause notice on him, by refusing to give him an explanation . He had contended that only All India Congress Committee's Disciplinary Committee was competent to seek it.

Karti was issued the notice on January 23 for alleged remarks against the party and its high command at a meeting of his supporters, collectively named 'G-67', a reference to those born after 1967, the year in which Congress lost power in Tamil Nadu.
In his speech at the meeting on January 22, while analysing the electoral travails of Congress, Karti had appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "political knowledge and acumen" in steering the party to success.

In the notice, Elangovan had said Karti had criticised the party high command and thus 'put spokes' in the growth of Congress and sought an explanation in a week.
To a question on possible action against party leader Janardan Dwivedi for his controversial remarks praising the Prime Minister, Surjewala said "the General Secretary In-charge of Communication Department has clarified the matter and Dwivedi himself had made an elaborate statement on the issue. The matter rests right there at present and it needs no further comment.