Congress says Ambika Soni has not resigned from party, but that her ‘duties were lightened’
The Rajya Sabha MP and former minister had said she was stepping down from her posts because of poor health.
Congress leader RS Surjewala on Friday said his colleague Ambika Soni had not left the party, but had merely asked for her “duties to be lightened”, hours after it was reported that she had resigned. Soni had said earlier in the day that she was quitting as the party’s general secretary in several states including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The former minister said she was doing so because of poor health. She is a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab.
I've requested leadership to relieve me as in-charge of Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh due to health reasons: Cong leader Ambika Soni to ANI pic.twitter.com/I0cSky0iOJ
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 21, 2017
Her announcement came minutes after former Gujarat party leader Shankersinh Vaghela said he had been suspended from the party.
Soni, a Congress stalwart, had joined the party in 1969, under Indira Gandhi’s rule. She has been the head of the All India Mahila Congress and chief of the All India Congress Committee.
Neither she resigned nor there is question of resignation,she(Soni) requested leadership to lighten duties in light of her health: Surjewala pic.twitter.com/9MAoe8GofY
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 21, 2017