Following the spate of recent allegations and counter-allegations, the Press Club of India woke up to a rude shock on Tuesday morning: Congress president Sonia Gandhi had given up her honorary membership of the club.

A letter from AICC general secretary and spokesperson Janardan Dwivedi clarified matters: “In view of the ongoing controversy in the Press Club, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is giving up her honorary membership with immediate effect.” Enclosed with the letter was the membership card presented to Sonia Gandhi just 10 days ago.

While some members said it was unexpected, given the events of the last few days it is hardly surprising.

On August 21, a delegation from the then general body of Press Club was “granted an audience” with Gandhi. But even as the delegation was informing the Congress chief about the Press Club’s various “achievements” and its designs for a proposed new building, an uprising of sorts was underway at the club.

A “group of dissidents” from within the general body called for an extraordinary general body meeting (EGM) the next day — August 22. Their motive, one of the dissidents, Nadim Kazmi, said, was to “highlight the autocratic behaviour of the present general secretary and bring to light financial irregularities in Press Club’s accounts”.

Members arriving at the club for the EGM on August 22 morning were greeted by pictures of the delegation with Gandhi, as well as news that the Congress chief had accepted honorary membership of the club. “They were trying to use Sonia Gandhi as leverage — it was their masterstroke,” P P Balachandran, convener of the interim committee set up to manage the Press Club, said. “But their leadership was dissolved at the EGM and an interim committee was set up.”

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