Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) Monday dismissed “as baseless and politically motivated” allegations of former office bearer Kiran Kumar Reddy Chamala that party general secretary Rahul Gandhi was surrounded by an “immature coterie”. The IYC said that Chamala was no longer its member.

A press statement issued by Nitin Sharma, permanent secretary of IYC, said that Chamala was dropped as general secretary Nov 17, 2010 “for non-performance of duties assigned, disciplinary issues and hiding serious criminal charges (levelled against him in the past) at the time of appointment.”

The statement said that IYC initiated an inquiry soon after “these issues” were brought to the organisation’s notice and thereafter Chamala was dropped.

“The Indian Youth Congress clarifies that Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy Chamala is not a member of the organisation. IYC has no relationship whatsoever with Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy Chamala and the contents of press note circulated by him are baseless and politically motivated,” the statement said.

In his press note sent to mediapersons through e-mail Monday, Chamala who claimed to be a IYC general secretary, said there were many loopholes in the functioning of the organisation.

Gandhi is Congress in-charge of IYC and National Union Students of India (NSUI).

Chamala said Gandhi had laid stress on IYC and NSUI being instruments for common people to enter politics but “many of the elected youth Congress presidents (had been) promoted by political power of seniors or money power.”

Chamala said many of the leaders serving Congress at present including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik and Ashok Gehlot had been groomed by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi but said he had doubts if “Rahul Gandhi can repeat this…because of his concepts and immature people working in his coterie.”

Chamala alleged that he had kept away from his duties for the last four months without any proper communication and had failed to get an appointment with Gandhi.

He alleged that “Aam Aadmi ke Sipahi” launched by Rahul Gandhi was a “flop” and the programme coordinators did not have an idea about its status.

Referring to IYC membership in Tamil Nadu of nearly 13 lakh, he said the orgainsation was “making numbers not members.”

Chamala said Gandhi’s ideas of transforming NSUI and IYC were “good” but added that his trusted men had adopted a corporate policy of “hire, test, fire” which was not suitable to the concept of political party where people work voluntarily. He said he had seen many youngsters “ruining” their careers in the dream of becoming leaders and claimed that most people in IYC were trying to communicate through “BlackBerry and laptops.”

He said Gandhi should interfere personally to correct “the flaws” and understand the problems at the grassroots.