Bhubaneswar, 15 December (H.S.) : Hours after being expelled from the Odisha unit of the Indian National Congress (INC), former Cuttack–Barabati MLA Mohammed Moquim on Monday said he had committed no wrongdoing and had merely highlighted organisational shortcomings within the party.

Addressing a press conference, Moquim asserted that while the party had terminated his primary membership, it could not separate him from the Congress ideology. He said he learned about his expulsion through media reports and clarified that the letter he wrote to the party leadership was intended to push for internal reform, not to create disruption.

Rejecting allegations of indiscipline, the former Barabati MLA said his intervention was never meant to insult the leadership. “I have shown the mirror to the party. I believed the Congress would undertake reforms,” he said, adding that he would continue to remain active in politics.

Moquim further clarified that his actions had no personal connection with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and that the concerns he raised were purely organisational in nature.

Defending his decision to approach the party high command, he said constructive internal feedback should not be equated with indiscipline. “I expected the Congress to act against internal disorganisation. I did not anticipate that I would be expelled for raising these issues,” he remarked.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Moquim described him as one of the party’s most distinguished leaders but maintained that party workers have the right to point out shortcomings. “Even if Rahul Gandhi makes a mistake, we have the right to speak out,” he said, adding that he stood by the contents of his letter and had no regrets.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda