Hyderabad, January 21
The absence of Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tewari, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Karnakata Chief Minister Dharam Singh and the grand old man of Bengal Congress A B A Ghani Khan Chowdhury at AICC plenary here has attracted the attention of the media and caused some embarrassment to the party.

At the press briefing here today, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni sought to justify the absence of Tewari and Chowdhury as being their inability to undertake a long journey to Hyderabad.

Mr Virbhadra Singh, she said, was very much in the city, but could not make it to the session as he was unwell and advised rest by doctors.

Karntaka developments have kept Mr Dharam Singh engaged in Bangalore, she explained.

There is however more to the absence of Tewari and Chowdhury as both of them have recently fallen out of favour with Congress high command.

Tewari is said to be unhappy with the party leadership for denying him a berth in the CWC and over reports of his imminent ouster from chief ministership.

Chowdhury found himself at the receiving end of the party’s ire over his grandiose plans for an alliance with Trinamool Congress against the ruling left front in West Bengal.

Mr Ambika Soni rejected the reports that Tiwari was unhappy for being left out of the core group that made preparations for the plenary and drafted the resolutions. “I am not ready to accept this (suggestion) at all. ND Tewari has not been slighted at all. He is one of the prominent leaders who has been the torch-bearers of the party. About 4 to 5 days ago, he told the AICC incharge of Uttaranchal Motilal Vora that he was not in a position to undertake such a long and tiresome journey to Hyderabad to attend the plenary.”

Regarding Virdhadra Singh, she said that though he had reached Hyderabad, he was unwell and the doctors had advised him not to strain himself. He had called her up and expressed his inability to come for the CWC meeting.