JAKHAR QUITS CONGRESS

prospects. Chaudhary, last month, also sent another letter to the Congress president, recommending action against Sidhu for his anti-party activities. The infighting-ridden Congress was routed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and got just 18 of the 117 assembly seats.

‘Congress facing existential crisis’

The former Lok Sabha MP’S annoyance was evident from his 35-minute harangue on social media during which he took shots at several Congress leaders, particularly Rajya Sabha member Ambika Soni and successive Punjab affairs in-charges of the party. Beginning his livestream by calling the brainstorming session a “formality”, Jakhar said the Congress is facing an existential crisis, but they are behaving as if the responsibility of the nation rests on its shoulders and set up six committees on foreign, economic and agriculture policies when the need of the hour is to decide how to save the party.

“Yeh toh chinta ka shivir hona chahiya tha na ki chintan ka. If they were really worried, another committee would have been set up on the poll debacle in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa,” he said.

Considered to be close to Rahul Gandhi earlier, Jakhar said he is a very fine and upright person and should take reins of the Congress in his hands. “He should learn to differentiate between friend and foe as well as distance himself from sycophants. If you cannot distinguish between friend and foe, then understand to differentiate between assets and liabilities,” he said, stressing that the Gandhi family’s presence was necessary for the Congress to function as one party.

‘Delhi leaders sunk Congress in Punjab’ Coming down hard on “leaders sitting in Delhi”, Jakhar also blamed former Punjab affairs in-charge and Congress’ CM face in Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat for the party’s debacle, calling his defeat in the hill state as divine intervention.

“Rawat was sent to destabilise Amarinder who was sitting pretty. The opposition parties usually try to destabilise,” he said, asking whether the entire exercise was “controlled destabilisation”.

Calling the Congress’ handling of party affairs in Punjab a “case study”, Jakhar also cited the example of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot by saying that he has to tell people every 15 days that he would remain the chief minister.

“Sidhu was also issued a notice in Punjab for speaking against both Capt Amarinder and Charanjit Channi…those from Rajasthan who camped in Manesar for one month, should they not be served notice by the party. They are called by the Congress president for consultations,” he said, commenting on rebellion in the party in the neighbouring state in 2020.