Pilot, Priyanka being insulted in Cong: Acharya Pramod Krishnam

SAMBALPUR: A day after his expulsion from the Congress, Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Sunday said party leaders Sachin Pilot and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are being disrespected in the party where people need "chamchagiri" (sycophancy) to survive.

Krishnam also said he will stand with Prime Minister Narendra Modi throughout his life to further strengthen the country.

The Congress on Saturday expelled Krishnam from the party for "indiscipline" and making repeated statements against the party.

Krishnam, who had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow on a Congress ticket but lost, had recently praised Prime Minister Modi for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya and criticised the Congress' stance of its leadership skipping the event.

Talking to reporters at 'Kalki Dham' here, Krishnam said, "Today, if one wants to remain in Congress, it requires manipulation, chamchagiri (sycophancy) and lying."

He further said, "Today Sachin Pilot is being insulted in Congress...he is swallowing poison like Lord Shiva. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also being insulted."

"Rahul Gandhi's yatra is going on for several days...why is Priyanka Gandhi not joining, ask her," he said.

Krishnam had recently met Prime Minister Modi and invited him for the foundation stone laying ceremony of 'Shri Kalki Dham'.

On Saturday, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said in a statement, "Keeping in mind the complaint of indiscipline and repeated statements against the party, the Congress President has decided to expel Pramod Krishnam from the party for six years."

Krishnam "thanked" the Congress for his expulsion and said, "I express my gratitude to the Congress leadership that they have issued an order to free me from the party."

However, he said, "Kharge ji (Congress chief) and Venugopal ji should tell which activities were anti-party. Are meeting PM Modi, inviting UP CM Yogi Adityanath for foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham, and talking about Indian culture anti-party? These are my questions for the Congress."