Cousin tried to run the show in his absence

The Green party leader had recently given a severe dressing-down to a purohita holding a high post in the party. 

This is a sequel to a number of complaints made to the Green leader that a relative of the purohita has become a meddling nuisance to the white collar high-ups in the Ministry. 

This relative fellow who visits the Ministry whenever the purohita is away is said to be issuing various orders to the white-collar high-ups which are mostly illegal.

When the white collar ones found the situation intolerable, they complained about it to the Green leader, they say