After meeting PM, Scindia quits Congress even as party expels him

Soon after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Tuesday, disgruntled Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia tendered his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi, saying it was now time for him to move on.

Gandhi, however, immediately expelled him from the Congress for "anti-party activities", as the crisis looming over the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh deepened.

"The Congress president has approved the expulsion of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Indian National Congress with immediate effect for anti-party activities," according to a statement from AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

Noting that the events of the day had been drawing themselves out for a year, Scindia wrote to Gandhi saying it was now best for him to look at a fresh start.

"Having been a primary member of the Congress party for the last 18 years. It is now time for me to move on. I am rendering my resignation from primary membership of the Congress and as you well know this is a path that has been drawing itself out over the last year," Scindia wrote in his letter dated March 9.

However, the Congress claimed that the resignation letter was received physically outside Sonia Gandhi's residence at 12.20 pm on Tuesday.

In the resignation letter posted on Twitter, Scindia said, "While my aim and purpose remains the same as it has always been from the very beginning, to serve the people of my state and my country, I believe I am unable to do this anymore within this party."

"To reflect and realise the aspirations of my people and workers I believe it is best that I now look ahead at a fresh start."

The former Guna MP also thanked Gandhi and his other former Congress colleagues for "providing him with a platform to have served the nation".

Meanwhile in Bhopal, 14 Congress MLAs who are loyal to Scindia have sent their resignations to Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon, Raj Bhavan sources said.