Factional feud casts shadow on Raja Warring’s coronation
Jakhar remains conspicuous by his absence; Sidhu, who did not share the stage, kicks up another war of words
CHANDIGARH : Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday formally took charge and spelled out his “3D” formula of discipline, dedication and dialogue to meet the challenges and resurrect the party in the state.
Warring along with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu assumed office at a low-key event in the presence of several former ministers, MLAS and other party leaders. The challenges that lie ahead for the youngest-ever Punjab unit chief were more than evident at the event, as not only his two immediate predecessors, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar, did not attend the installation ceremony, senior party leaders also took digs at each other on the occasion.
The 44-year-old leader, named the new state Congress chief on April 9, succeeds Navjot Singh Sidhu, who reached the Punjab Congress Bhawan, the state headquarters of the party in Chandigarh, and met him for a few seconds, but did not share the stage.
Sidhu was among the local heads of five states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, who were asked to put in their papers by Congress president Sonia Gandhi
after the party’s humiliating defeat in the February-march assembly elections.
Jakhar, who remained the PPCC chief for four-and-a-half years before Sidhu replaced him in July 2021, was also missing.
Addressing the gathering, Warring said the Congress is a “soch” (thinking) which cannot come to an end. “The party leaders and workers will have to follow discipline, dedication and dialogue to face the challenges. We have to adopt 3-Ds if we have to grow,” he said. Urging the state leaders to work together, he said discipline was of paramount importance for any organisation, whether business or political, to survive.
Ashu said they have the challenging task of uniting the state party. There should be no personal branding and everyone needs to work for the party, he added. ‘Mafia raj’ to blame for defeat, says Sidhu
Sidhu, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the event, blamed “mafia raj” during the five-year rule of the Congress for the defeat of the party in the state. “I always battled against the mafia. My fight was not against any individual. It was against the system and people who were eating into the state like termites,” he alleged, pointing the finger at the then chief minister. “When Punjab becomes free from mafia, it will rise,” he said.
The former MLA also said he will support (present chief minister Bhagwant) Mann if he fights against the mafia, calling him an “honest man”.
Commenting on Warring “3-D” formula, the former PPCC chief said that discipline should be for everyone, not for one particular group. “The rules for discipline should be for everyone, from the CM to worker. If someone fields his brother, nothing is done whereas action is taken against others,” he said. Sidhu, in a tweet later, also said the Congress will have to reinvent to come back to power.
No leader is bigger than party: Chaudhary
The former state president’s continued attacks on party leaders, however, did not go down well with Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary who told reporters that no one person was bigger than the party. “Such statements created an opportunity for the AAP to take control of the reins of the state,” he said on being asked about Sidhu’s comments. He said action would be taken against those creating indiscipline in the party.
Charanjit Singh Channi, whom the party projected as its CM face, said that being the CM at the time of elections, he was taking responsibility for the defeat. “If Sidhu Saab says that I (Channi) am responsible, I am taking the responsibility. But I will not say anything on (the then) party chief’s responsibility,” he said, taking a subtle dig at former state chief. Both Sidhu and Channi lost their seats in the state elections.
Congress MP Manish Tewari said there was need for the party to introspect and find the reasons for the election defeat because till May 2021, the party looked set for a repeat. “In the Congress, certain people are stakeholders and certain people are rent-seekers,” he said, when asked by a journalist about Sidhu’s remarks against Channi.
Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, former ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Raj Kumar Verka, Vijay Inder Singla, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, former PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo and MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa were among those present.
A three-time MLA from Gidderbaha, Warring is a former president of the Indian Youth Congress.
Party leaders and workers have to adopt 3Ds — discipline, dedication and dialogue — if we have to grow. AMARINDER SINGH RAJA WARRING, Punjab Cong chief