Rahul fast: Faction-ridden Bathinda Congress holds separate events

› There’s no rift among partymen. For city party workers, fast was held in the minister’s office, while for party workers of rural areas, venue was party office. JAIJEET SINGH JOHAL, Manpreet’s brother-in-law

› I am not aware of the fast in the office of finance minister and came to know about it later. The party high command had told us to hold a fast and we chose the party office. HARMINDER SINGH JASSI, Bathinda Urban former MLA

BATHINDA: The local Congress unit’s attempt to show solidarity with party president Rahul Gandhi’s fast saw two clear factions emerge – of Bathinda Urban MLA Manpreet Singh Badal and former MLA Harminder Singh Jassi.

The two factions held separate meetings with the Manpreet, who is also the state finance minister, faction meeting at his office and the Jassi faction congregating at the Congress office near the railway station.

Jassi, the Bathinda Urban MLA from 2007-12, aspired for a Congress ticket from this segment last year also.

However, the party fielded Manpreet and Jassi contested unsuccessfully from Maur.

What made Friday’s factionalism even more apparent was that Jassi feigned ignorance about it. When questioned, he said, “I am not aware of the fast in the office of the finance minister and came to know about it later.”

He added, “The party high-command had asked us to hold a fast at district headquarters and we decided to hold it in the party office. Manpreet Badal’s office is a government office and we couldn’t have protested there.” In both the events, party leaders blamed the BJP for destroying communal and social harmony across the country.

In Manpreet’s camp, his wife Vinu Badal, his brother-in-law Jaijeet Singh Johal and Bathinda (City) Congress unit president Mohan Lal Jhumba were present. Joining Jassi was Congress state secretary, Iqbal Singh Dhillon, and some other leaders.

Jhumba couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts.

When contacted, Jaijeet Singh said, “There is no rift among party men in city. For Bathinda city party workers, the fast was held in minister’s office, while for party workers of rural areas, the camp was held in the party office.”

He added the minister’s office was chosen as a venue due to apprehension of protesters disrupting the event.

Significantly, detractors of Manpreet in Bathinda City Congress have been raising the promises made by minister during the assembly polls last year, which, they claim, have not yet been kept.

They have raised the issue of shutdown of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, shifting the solid waste treatment plant from Bathindamansa road and providing ownership of shamlat land to actual owners who are in possession of such land.

Jassi and his supporters have stepped up their activity and are holding meetings in at regular intervals.