New Delhi, May 5: The Congress today sought an explanation from party MP Datta Meghe, a Sharad Pawar loyalist, for questioning the appointment of a known Pawar detractor, Sudhir Sawant as one of the party secretaries, saying it was an act of ``grave impropriety''.``As an MP of the party, you must be aware that any appointment at AICC secretariat level is made by the Congress President. No Congressman can question such appointment because it would tantamount to challenging the authority of the president,'' party general secretary Madhavrao Scindia said in a letter to Meghe.
The party's strong reaction comes in the wake of reports which quoted Meghe as saying in Nagpur that the ``coterie'' surrounding Congress president Sonia Gandhi was providing wrong information to her on Sharad Pawar.
Meghe had also alleged that a group of partymen, particularly Arjun Singh, were campaigning against Pawar. He questioned the appointment of Sawant charging that an anti-Pawar lobby was working within the party tomarginalise the Maratha leader's influence.
Meanwhile, Arjun Singh today declined to comment on the reported charge that he was trying to mislead Sonia on Pawar. ``No comments,'' Singh told reporters at the AICC headquarters.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
