Bhopal, Jan 18 (IANS): The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Thursday issued a show cause notice to the party’s spokesperson Alok Sharma for his “objectionable remarks” on former Chief Minister Kamal Nath on news channels.

The Congress has termed Sharma’s remarks on the party’s veteran leader as “baseless”, “defamatory” and his act has been judged as an “attempt to undermine” the party and senior colleagues.

The notices were issued by the AICC’s Chairman of the Media and Publicity Department, Pawan Khera on Thursday.

“Being a member of the Indian National Congress, you are aware that party discipline is sacrosanct and any violation of the same, has served consequences. Hence, you are hereby put to notice and given two days from the receipt of this notice to provide a clarification on your statement,” the notice issued to Sharma read.

After the Congress lost the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Sharma during a debate with some news channels had leveled serious allegations against Kamal Nath, accusing him of “collusion with the BJP” for his own benefit.

The party’s high command issued a notice to Sharma around two weeks after he made the remarks on Kamal Nath, under whom the Congress contested two Assembly elections. While the party won in 2018 it lost in 2023.

Sources in Madhya Pradesh Congress claimed the incident had upset Kamal Nath a lot and more so because the party’s high command had initiated no disciplinary action against Sharma for the allegations against him.

Sources privy to the matter told IANS that Kamal Nath expressed his disappointment with the party’s top leadership over the delay in action against Sharma.

The party’s late response has also surprised the state Congress workers, who worked under Kamal Nath for over five years.

Recently, when the newly-appointed Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav, arrived at Kamal Nath’s residence and the duo talked for around one hour, there was a buzz in political circles that the veteran leader had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

There is also a murmur that Kamal Nath’s son and Chhindwara MP, Nakul Nath, is likely to look beyond the Congress, the party his family has been associated with for five decades.

Notably, after the Congress was reduced to 66 seats in the Assembly election held in November 2023 against its tally of 114 in 2018, the high command expressed disappointment in the party's performance in Madhya Pradesh, and Kamal Nath was asked to step down from the post of state President.

Sources in the AICC told IANS that some senior Congress leaders wanted Kamal Nath to continue as state President at least till the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, however, Rahul Gandhi had already made up his mind to replace him with a new face Jitu Patwari.