AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Youth Congress has suspended 49 office-bearers, including 24 district presidents and state secretaries, for allegedly defying the national leadership's directive to attend the November 1 INDIA bloc rally in Delhi over the alleged "vote theft" controversy. The suspended leaders have been removed from their organisational posts with immediate effect and will remain suspended until further notice.
The action follows a nationwide disciplinary crackdown by the Indian Youth Congress against office-bearers who failed to attend the Delhi rally demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The leadership has taken a strict view of their absence, particularly as attendance had been made mandatory and the party had reportedly arranged their travel.
Speaking to local media, Gujarat Pradesh Youth Congress president Pravinsinh Vanol confirmed that the action had been initiated by the All India Youth Congress and was being implemented across states. He said all office-bearers who had been directed to travel to Delhi but failed to attend had been suspended following an online meeting convened after the rally.
Vanol said, “All 49 office-bearers have been removed from their positions and suspended for the time being. We will now issue a form seeking explanations for their absence. Those who demonstrate active engagement in organisational activities may be reinstated.”
He clarified that the suspension was not necessarily permanent, indicating that the leadership would examine individual explanations before deciding whether to reinstate the office-bearers. However, their immediate removal signals the national leadership's unwillingness to tolerate indiscipline or disregard for organisational instructions.
The Congress had instructed members of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress, Mahila Congress, Youth Congress and NSUI to participate in the Delhi demonstration. The party had also reportedly arranged transportation to and from the national capital. The Indian Youth Congress had convened organisational meetings to ensure a substantial turnout, making attendance compulsory for office-bearers.
While senior Gujarat Congress leaders and several Youth Congress representatives attended the demonstration, 49 office-bearers allegedly remained absent without informing the organisation in advance. The Indian Youth Congress subsequently sought a list of absentees from Vanol before initiating disciplinary proceedings.
Those facing action include district Youth Congress presidents from Ahmedabad Rural, Amreli, Anand, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Dang, Devbhumi Dwarka, Gandhinagar City and Rural, Gir Somnath, Junagadh City and Rural, Mahisagar, Mehsana, Narmada, Navsari, Panchmahal, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot City, Sabarkantha, Vadodara City and Surendranagar.
The mass suspension has highlighted organisational challenges within the Gujarat Youth Congress, with the national leadership seeking explanations from its own office-bearers over their absence from a politically significant mobilisation.
