india

Updated: Oct 04, 2019 18:17 IST

The Congress on Friday issued a showcause notice to Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh for defying party directive and attending the special session of the state assembly convened by Yogi Adityanath on October 2. The session had been boycotted by the grand old party.

The MLA, who is also All India Mahila Congress general secretary, has been asked to reply to the notice within two days.

The Congress leader’s decision to attend the assembly comes weeks after she spoke out in support of the Centre’s August 5 decision to scrap Article 370, which provided for Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

It is not clear what prompted the leader to go against the party and attend the session called by UP chief minister. The move has set the tongues wagging in the political circles.

Singh’s Rae Bareli Sadar seat makes up one of the five constituencies in the parliamentary seat of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Defending her move to attend the special assembly, Singh said she took part in the debate ‘rising above party politics’.

“I spoke on the development issue rising above party politics. I have tried to tread the path that I feel is right and what my father has shown to me,” said Singh after attending the state assembly.

Undaunted, the young leader said she was ready to face action. “It’s the party’s call. I will accept whatever decision the Congress may take,” she said.

On the very same day, which was Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi took out a padyatra in state capital Lucknow. However, Singh was missing from that event.

Singh, who is considered close to the Nehru-Gandhi family, is the daughter of Akhilesh Singh, who was a Rae Bareli strongman and former MLA.

After Singh’s father died, Priyanka visited the MLA’s home in Lalupur village of Rae Bareli to pay homage to her father.