Congress's Radhika Khera quits party: 'Just because I visited Ayodhya...'

Chhattisgarh Congress leader Radhika Khera, who alleged disrespect in the state's party unit and vowed to expose people suffering from a "male chauvinistic mentality" within the party, has resigned and quit the grand old party.

In her resignation letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Khera said she faced criticism from within the party because she could not stop herself from visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and getting a glimpse of Ram Lalla idol.

Hours before her resignation, Khera changed the profile picture of her X account which showed her standing in front of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya along with two other women. It was not known when did Khera visit the Ram Temple.

In her resignation letter, Khera alleged that justice was denied to her when she claimed she was disrespected in the Chhattisgarh Congress unit. She said she was renouncing primary membership of Congress and resigned from her post with "great pain".

"I have always fought from every platform for the justice of others, but when it came to my own justice, I found myself defeated in the party. Being a devotee of Lord Ram and a woman, I am deeply hurt, she further said.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Khera said she never crossed the party line and called herself a follower of Sanatana Dharma. "I have never crossed the party line, I have worked with full devotion and honesty. Just because I visited Ayodhya and just because I am a Hindu, I am a follower of Sanatan Dharma. I was not given justice," she said.

"Is your (Congress) fight with Ram Lalla or is your fight with any political party? This party will have to decide. I waited for six days and pleaded for justice, but nothing happened. So after 22 years, I have resigned from the party," she said.

Earlier, a video of Khera from the premises of Rajeev Bhavan in Raipur had also gone viral on social media. The video showed Khera visibly upset, expressing grievances about disrespect towards her.

She was heard making allegations against an unnamed individual, stating that nobody in the party is respected, especially female politicians. According to sources, the individual in question is Chhattisgarh Congress's communication wing chairperson Sushil Anand Shukla.

On the condition of anonymity, an insider revealed that Khera had frequently clashed with Shukla over trivial matters, even during last year’s assembly elections in Chhattisgarh. They have a strained relationship, and the current incident was seen as another episode of ego clash.

Sources said that Radhika Khera wanted to conduct a press briefing on a subject of her choice before Congress leader Pawan Khera’s scheduled press conference. However, Shukla refused, leading to a heated argument and Radhika leaving the office in distress, sources added.