Goa, Nov. 5 -- A long-awaited birth, a family bereavement, a sister's wedding, and a sudden bout of illness-these are among the reasons cited by Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress office-bearers following their immediate suspension for failing to attend the INDIA bloc's mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, addressed by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

The Youth Congress leadership crackdowns resulted in the suspension of 60 office-bearers from Madhya Pradesh on November 3. The affected personnel include 32 secretaries, 14 general secretaries, nine district presidents, and five vice-presidents. The national leadership labeled the absences as "organisational indiscipline" during a major show of strength, which was called to...