Soon after Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the party, news agency ANI quoted Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut as confirming that Chaturvedi would now join his party on Friday, 19 April.
Taking to Twitter to announce her resignation, Chaturvedi in her letter said the resignation came with a “heavy heart.”
Chaturvedi’s resignation comes only two days after she hit out at the Congress after the party reinstated eight of its leaders days after disciplinary proceedings were initiated against them for alleged unruly behaviour with her.
Addressing party President Rahul Gandhi, she wrote: “What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been the call of the party, the same is not reflected in the actions of some members of the party.”
According to Deccan Chronicle, Chaturvedi tendered her resignation late on Thursday night to the party leadership. Karsoo reached out to Chaturvedi on the same, but she remained unavailable for a comment.
Chaturvedi To Join Shiv Sena
According to Times Now, Chaturvedi is in touch with Shiv Sena, with Uddhav Thackeray likely to hold a press conference on the matter later in the day.
Similarly, News18 too reported that Chaturvedi was in talks with senior Shiv Sena leaders and an announcement was likely later in the day regarding her membership.
Chaturvedi Changes Bio On Twitter
Earlier in the day, Chaturvedi had removed the designation "AICC Spokesperson" from her Twitter bio, triggering speculations of her resignation. In fact, her bio on the micro-blogging site, as of Friday, 19 April, no longer carries the earlier description, enlisting her roles in the party.
It now reads: "Columnist. Blogger. Saree Hoarder. Mother. Travel. Books. Music. Tweets personal, RTs not endorsement."
According to a News18 report, Chaturvedi has also left the party's media group on WhatsApp.
The last tweet from Chaturvedi's handle, barring a retweet from Jeff Bezos, is of her expressing sadness over 'lumpen goons' getting preference within the party over those who had given "their sweat and blood."
Meanwhile, the letter, which carried the letterhead of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, reportedly stated that disciplinary proceedings were retracted on the recommendation of Jyotiraditya Scindia after these eight people expressed regret over the incident.
The leaders had misbehaved with Chaturvedi at a press conference over the Rafale deal in Mathura. The letter further appealed to the leaders to not engage in acts that would damage the party’s reputation.