Political family feud: Amba Prasad to challenge father’s expulsion from Congress; Claims injustice amid ongoing struggles against NTPC

Ranchi: Former Barkagaon MLA Amba Prasad would approach the Congress high command over the expulsion of her father and former minister Yogendra Saw, terming the action ‘unjust’ as she claimed that he was not served any show-cause notice before being expelled from the party.

Amba on Sunday said that a conspiracy is being plotted to finish Saw’s political career by expelling him from the party.

“Our family has been waging a war against NTPC’s unjust actions in matters of displacement and compensation to the inhabitants in Barkagaon. The party should have supported us in our struggle, rather than expelling him. Now I have only trust the party high command and will take the matter of his expulsion to them,” she said.

Amba also alleged that state Congress leaders resorted to lies while announcing Saw’s expulsion in the media.

“The party, without any consultation, arbitrarily announced his expulsion in the press. In the briefing, party leaders said that if he (Saw) had any grievances, he should have consulted the party and tried to solve those. But my father had repeatedly informed party leaders about NTPC’s injustice done to the locals of Barkagaon. Acting on that, a three-member committee was constituted by the party. So how come they said that he did not inform the party leaders,” Amba said.

She further said that the party expelled Saw under pressure from someone. She, however, did not clearly mention the entity pressuring the Congress party for Saw’s expulsion.

“Yogenda Sawji, on the day of demolition, commented against the chief minister out of his grief. But the party expelled him for that. What about other leaders in the state who had criticised Congress ministers? What action has been taken against them?” she said.

Saw was expelled from the party on Friday a day after he criticised chief minister Hemant Soren and the JMM-Congress-RJD govt, after Hazaribag administration demolished his Joradag bungalow in the NTPC command area for expansion of the PSU’s Chatti Bariatu coal mining project in Keradari block. Following the demolition, Saw accused the PSU, administration and govt of duping those who gave up their land and of inadequate compensation.

BJP state spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said that in its bid to remain in power and appease the CM, Congress has gone to the extent of sacrificing its own dedicated workers.

“The former minister Yogendra Saw has been a loyal Congressman. While the BJP has never endorsed his methods of protest and functioning, it is deeply alarming that despite his entire family being long-time Congress supporters, his house was demolished by a Congress-backed govt even when the matter is still pending before the court," Pratul said.