NEW DELHI: The National Executive of the ruling Congress Party today [Nov 12] expelled Premier Mrs Indira Gandhi from the Party’s membership on charges of “indiscipline and consistent defiance of Party’s directives and policy”. The decision was communicated to reporters by Party’s Treasurer, Mr S.K. Patil.

Her expulsion from the Party did not immediately affect her position as Premier. She can remain as Head of the Government as long as she retains the support of the majority of the Party’s 282 deputies in the Lower House. At the moment, she appears to have the support of all but 70 of them, and also has the backing of the Communists and a number of Independents, which would rule out the possibility of a snap defeat.

The expulsion order is unprecedented in the Party’s 22 years in power.

The Executive Committee also stripped Mrs Gandhi of her leadership of the Congress Party in Parliament, and directed Party Deputies to “take the necessary steps immediately to elect a new leader”.

The 52-year-old Premier and her supporters boycotted today’s Executive meeting, which was attended by 11 of its 21 members. — Agencies

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2019