After a party row, following her strong criticism of the party on ticket distribution for the Karnataka Assembly polls, Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva has reportedly submitted her resignation as General Secretary.

Alva, as the general secretary, is in charge of Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland, and is also a member of the Congress Election Committee, as well as the Congress Working Committee.  

Sulking over denial of election ticket to her son in Karnataka recently, Alva had alleged that “different yardsticks” were being adopted in deciding party nominations for upcoming elections in six states.  

Alva alleged that her son Nivedith and grandson of former Union minister C K Jaffer Sharief were not given nominations, while relatives of two-dozen leaders were given tickets in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress has described Alva’s allegation as a “gross violation of discipline”, terming her charges “motivated.” The party high command has also disapproved of her action of going to the media over the issue.

Congress chief spokesperson, Veerappa Moily, told reporters: “She is unhappy that her son was denied a ticket in the Karnataka Assembly elections. The motivation is clearly there ...otherwise she would not have talked of morals. It is not a moral issue.”  

Alva met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, soon after appearing before Disciplinary Action Committee chairman, A K Antony. About Alva’s resignation, AICC said: “It is now for the Congress President to take a decision.”