``The Congress, which fought for independence, has lost its ideological base and has sunk into the quagmire of favouritism and personality cult'', Chaudhary alleged, adding that though Pawar helped the Congress gain many seats from Maharashtra, the party leadership had decided to cut him to size for his ``temerity''.

``Pawar, P A Sangma and Tariq Anwar committed no crime by raising the debate on Sonia's origin'', Chaudhary said, adding that their stand was consistent with the party's nationalism. ``Since the election will be fought on the Swadeshi versus Videshi issue, the debate is all the more relevant. There are many supporters of the trio in South Gujarat.''

A convention would be shortly held in South Gujarat for chalking out a future plan of action, Chaudhary said, adding a call would be given to joining the Pawar camp in large numbers. Meanwhile, president of Bharatiya Rashtriya Mazdoor Congress Mahendra Dave -- who identifies himself as South Gujarat chief of Indian National Congress Trade Union, the labour wing of the Congress party -- has criticised the oldest national party for expelling the trio.

Their suggestion was healthy and aimed at taking the sting out of the BJP's campaign, he said coming down heavily on Gandhi for resigning as AICC president, in a bid to twist arms of the leaders. ``Does the 113-year-old party want to live only on Sonia's support?'' he questioned. Instead of escaping from her responsibility by resigning, she should have called the trio for a discussion on the issue. He said the party should accept her resignation and come out of its personality-based politics. This is only way the party can survive, he said.

Meanwhile, Urmilaben Rana, who has recently been named the South Gujarat chief of INTUC, told Express Newsline that Dave did not hold the post any more and was misusing the INTUC letter-heads. The INTUC would initiate legal action against him, she claimed. In response, Dave said his union was given affiliation certificate by the INTUC working committee as far back as in 1978. He claimed his union was not de-recognised by the working committee since he continued to pay the annual fees.