Ranchi, April 13: The state Congress today received another jolt when president Sushila Kerketta issued a showcause notice to Dhanbad district unit president Mannan Mallick on charges of indiscipline. Mallick is the fifth district president of the state to get a show cause in the past week.

Sources said the action has opened a can of worms and many other leaders could face the music. A senior party leader said defeated Kolebira MLA Theodor Kiro and Bermo MLA Rajendra Prasad Singh are planning to take up the issue of ?backstabbing? by party leaders with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He said the two leaders are waiting for the ?right moment?.

Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) sources said the move to showcause Mallick follows infighting in the district Congress.

Mallick had recently ?removed? Dhanbad city president Ram Pravesh Sharma on charges of working against him in the Assembly election. Mallick had contested the elections from Dhanbad and was defeated by BJP?s P.N. Singh.

Sharma?s ?removal? created a furore in the district unit after which the PCC had to intervene to end the crisis.

A one-man committee headed by Ram Gopal Bhuwania was formed to look into the complaints made by Mallick. The panel gave a clean chit to Sharma. On the basis of Bhuwania?s report Kerketta directed Mallick to ?reinstate? Sharma, which he failed to do. Kerketta finally issued a showcause notice to Mallick today on charges of indiscipline.

In another development, the state Congress today appointed Amar Oraon as the new president of Ranchi rural.