Patna, Sept. 7: Deep fault-lines and ruptures within the Bihar Congress came to the fore today in the form of tears as state party president Ashok Choudhary broke down in front of media persons and TV cameras while expressing hurt over the way his loyalty was being questioned and a conspiracy hatched to remove him from the post he has held for around four-and-a-half years.

The immediate trigger for the development was Choudhary not being invited to a series of meetings held by Rahul Gandhi with Bihar legislators amid a buzz about his removal as Pradesh Congress Committee chief.

'My father was in the Congress for 50 years. I joined it when I was a 25-year-old and have served it continuously for 25 years. But, it will take me another 15 years to prove that I don't want to break the party,' the sobbing BPCC chief said when asked about reasons for being sidelined.

'Questions are being raised about my loyalty towards the party, but there is no confusion as to where my loyalties lie,' Choudhary said.

Reports of a section of Congressmen, allegedly led by Choudhary, trying to split from the party and join chief minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United have been doing the rounds since the Grand Alliance government lost power.

Choudhary, who was education minister in the Grand Alliance regime, lost his ministerial berth.

Choudhary today hinted that some 'tall' leaders of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) were conspiring against him as they wanted to install their favourite people at the helm in Bihar.

'Some senior leaders in Delhi are playing this game. If I am removed due to all this, I will be very hurt,' Choudhary added.