Sanjay Jha suspended from Congress for 'anti-party activities and breach of discipline'

The Congress on Tuesday suspended senior leader Sanjay Jha from the party with immediate effect "for anti-party activities and breach of discipline". He was earlier removed as party spokesperson.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Maharashtra unit of the Congress made the announcement. "Sanjay Jha has been suspended from the Congress Party with immediate effect for anti-party activities and breach of discipline," Maharashtra Congress said in a press release signed by state party chief Balasaheb Thorat. 

The move comes hours after the former spokesperson sided with Rajasthan leader Sachin Pilot who was sacked as the PCC chief and deputy CM. Pilot was sacked as state party chief and Deputy Chief Minister after he revolted against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. 

Earlier today, Jha sided with Sachin Pilot and said in a tweet, "For five years Sachin Pilot gave his blood, tears, toil and sweat for the Congress party between 2013-18. The Congress came back from a wretched 21 seats to 100. We just gave him a performance bonus. We are so meritocratic. We are so transparent."

He had also tweeted, "First, Jyotiraditya Scindia. Now, Sachin Pilot. Who next? Watch this space!"

Jha was removed as the spokesperson of the grand old party by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in June, days after he criticised the party in a newspaper column. Since being sacked as the spokesperson, Jha has been openly criticising the party leadership over various issues including the lack of leadership.