Take everyone along, Rawat advises Sidhu
CHANDIGARH: Congress general secretary Harish Rawat on Friday asked new Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu to take everyone along to pave the way for the party’s victory in the assembly polls early next year.
Speaking at the Sidhu’s installation ceremony at the party headquarters in Chandigarh, Rawat also told chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh that the responsibility of ensuring that the Congress returns to power in the state lies on his shoulders.
Sidhu was appointed the Punjab Congress chief, notwithstanding the strong opposition from Amarinder Singh, who had earlier refused to meet the Amritsar MLA, citing his “derogatory” tweets against him.
Addressing party workers and leaders, Rawat said the tradition of the Congress is to take everyone along and stand with everyone. The party high command has given you the responsibility of taking everyone along, he told Sidhu.
“When I am talking of taking everyone along, I mean taking common workers along,” he added.
“We have to make the Congress victorious in Punjab and Uttarakhand and pave the way for the formation of the party-led government at the Centre in 2024 under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi,” said Rawat.
Pointing towards Amarinder, who was sitting next to Sidhu, Rawat said he was in awe of his magnanimity. “You are one such person whom we always look up to for inspiration. The way you fought for farmers’ rights and poor sections and the way you have taken steps for the welfare of various sections needs to be lauded,” he said.
“One thing I know is that a lion remains a lion, he never grows old. At heart, a lion remains a king,” Rawat said, stressing that he and Congress workers know that the CM will take everyone along and ensure the party’s victory.
About Sidhu, Rawat said he has the quality of mesmerising all and he is dedicated to Punjab as well as the party.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh said: “People have high expectations from us. Sidhu is my friend but at the same time, we have to deliver. I have always done politics of issues.”