Rawat backs Capt: ‘He’ll lead Cong in Punjab polls’
CHANDIGARH: A day after four cabinet ministers and two dozen party MLAS close to Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu sought the chief minister’s removal, the Congress central leadership on Wednesday backed chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, stating that he would lead the party in the state polls early next year.
“We will contest the 2022 assembly elections under Capt Amarinder’s leadership,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat told reporters, putting to rest all speculations about leadership change, even before his meeting with a seven-member delegation of ministers and MLAS authorised by the disgruntled party leaders to convey their demand for the chief minister’s removal to the central leadership.
Rawat also said there was no threat to the state government and party in the state. The seven ministers and MLAS raised the demand for replacement of Amarinder, but were conveyed that he would not be changed, said sources close to the state in-charge. The state in-charge’s clear-cut statement ruling out a leadership change has come as a blow to them.
Cabinet ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Charanjit Singh Channi and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, who are at the forefront of the clamour in a section of the party for Capt’s removal, had travelled to Dehradun along with three MLAS Kulbir Singh Zira, Surjit Singh Dhiman and Barindermeet Singh Pahra to apprise him of the sentiments prevailing in the state unit.
The ministers and MLAS, all known detractors of Amarinder – conveyed their grievances and concerns relating to unfulfilled poll promises and the present political scenario in the state to Rawat during a twoand-a-half hours long meeting at a hotel there. Capt’s detractors had met at rural development minister Tript Bajwa’s official residence on Tuesday and decided to seek the chief minister’s removal, expressing their “lack of faith” in him over the issue of unfulfilled poll promises. Besides escalating the factional fight in the state Congress with just five months to go for the state polls, their rebellion ended an uneasy truce between Sidhu and Amarinder brokered by the Congress central leadership after months of tense negotiations that concluded with the former’s appointment as the state chief with the chief minister grudgingly accept it.
After the meeting, Channi and Bajwa said they told Rawat about their grievances and sentiments prevailing in the Pun
jab Congress regarding the unfulfilled poll promises. “We are firm on our demands. He (Rawat) heard us patiently on all issues.
He appeared convinced and told us that he would talk to high command. We have sought time from the central leadership. If they call us, we will to go to Delhi to present our views,” the two ministers said, expressing satisfaction with the state in-charge’s response. Though the initial plan was to head to Delhi from Dehradun, they returned to Chandigarh after meeting Rawat.
The disgruntled group has been questioned the CM’S ability and intent in honouring poll promises such as delay in justice in sacrilege and police firing cases, arrest of “big fish” involved in drug rackets and cancelation of power purchase agreements.
Another grouse raised by them is the attempt by the Capt camp to target his detractors by sidelining their supporters to weaken them in their constituencies. A case in point being cited by them is the replacement of market committee chairperson in Bajwa’s area.
Addressing the media after the meeting,
Rawat said the four ministers and three MLAS conveyed their concerns regarding the the way things were being handled and wanted a clear roadmap for the party’s victory in the upcoming state polls.
“They expressed serious concerns over the functioning of the state government and district administration. If a party MLA is feeling insecure that the district administration is working for his defeat because someone is upset with him, it is a matter of serious concern. I have had similar complaints earlier,” he said, refusing to share details of their discussions. The state in-charge also said he would go to Delhi in a day or two to brief the party high command.
On the controversy generated by the statements of the Punjab Congress president’s advisers on Kashmir and Pakistan, Rawat said he spoke to Sidhu and told him to rein them in.