Madhya Pradesh Congress president Suresh Pachouri allegedly pushed and slapped a party worker at the Indore airport after he was mobbed by aspirants seeking nominations for the upcoming civic polls in the state.
Pachouri lost his cool as people from the party chased him near the airport for party nominations for the polls to be held in December.
He had gone to Indore for a marriage ceremony.
"When security officials failed to stop workers and Pachouri got stuck and could not come out of the airport, he requested partymen to let him go and when they didn't listen, he lost his cool and pushed and slapped a worker," a Congress leader from Indore told IANS, requesting anonymity.
But Indore Congress president Pramod Tandon denied that Pachouri slapped any worker. But Tandon said as a head of the party in Madhya Pradesh, it was his duty to control the enthusiastic workers.
Describing the incident as minor, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh told mediapersons that it should be seen as scolding of children by an elder.
"Can't a father scold his child," Digvijay asked. Pachouri was, however, not available for comments.