Patna: All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil got a first-hand experience of indiscipline and factionalism on his maiden visit to the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) headquarters at Sadaquat Ashram here on Sunday, prompting him to warn partymen that such things won't be tolerated.

The newly appointed AICC in-charge had reached Patna on Sunday and also chalked out the basic plan to revive the party in Bihar. RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav dropped in to meet him and the duo discussed political affairs of the state.

BPCC president-in-charge Kaukab Quadri and legislature party leader in the Assembly, Sadanand Singh, AICC secretary and Kadwa MLA Shakeel Ahmad Khan were also among leaders present on the occasion.

Gohil addressed a meeting of party workers and leaders at Sadaquat Ashram, which saw the use of chairs on the dais and also in the hall, which was a break from the Congress tradition of sitting on the floor on such occasions. But many legislators did not get a chair and had to sit on the floor.

The meeting was also marred by slogans being raised in favour of Akhilesh Prasad Singh, former Union minister, who was recently elected as a Rajya Sabha member. "We will not tolerate factionalism and indiscipline in the party. Action will be taken against those who are harming the party," Gohil said.

His words assume significance in the context of rampant groupism in the BPCC over the past few years, which took its toll in the form of unceremonious removal of its president Ashok Choudhary last year. Choudhary quit the party last month, while the previous AICC in-charge for Bihar C.P. Joshi was sacked last week.

Gohil, talking to mediapersons later, said he would ask the state leaders to ensure that there is no wall between them and the workers in future, and "enthusiasm is channelled in the right direction".

He asserted that his motive would be to "strengthen Congress and increase its power as these were the only ways that would benefit the party".

The Bihar point man of AICC from Gujarat asserted: "The fight of the Congress was of ideology and the party will never compromise on it. The BJP has no ideology and could team up with the Mufti family in Jammu and Kashmir and Nitish Kumar to form governments. We believe in peace and harmony, while BJP indulges in politics of lie and deceit. Its politics depends on dividing the society and country on the lines of caste and community."

Gohil also termed the BJP as "anti-Dalit" and accused it of taking a double stand on the Supreme Court order on SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The AICC Bihar in-charge said he will be in Bihar till April 11 to take part in the first phase of the Congress's Aamantran Yatra, which will be held in Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur districts. He will also be a part of countrywide protest by the party "against the nefarious designs of the BJP with regard to peace, harmony and Dalits".