Lend ear to miffed leaders’ grouses, Rawat tells Capt
RAWAT ALSO ASKED THE PUNJAB CM TO REDUCE ELECTRICITY RATES AND REVISIT POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
CHANDIGARH: Amid continued factionalism in the state unit, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat met chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday and raised the grievances of detractors led by state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu with him.
Rawat, who is in Chandigarh to thrash out the differences between warring factions led by Amarinder and Sidhu, discussed with the chief minister all the pending election promises, which, coupled with apprehensions among some of the dissenting ministers and MLAs regarding attempts to target them in their constituencies, are behind the latest flare-up between the two sides.
“I told him about their (disgruntled ministers and MLAs’) grievances. It is his duty to address these,” Rawat told reporters after the meeting. The two leaders met at Amarinder’s Siswan farmhouse near here with the chief minister summoning top officials, including the advocate general and the director general of police, to brief the state affairs in-charge on the Bargari sacrilege and police firing cases, power purchase agreements, arrest of ‘big fish’ in drug rackets, cancellation of three farm laws and other pending promises.
These promises are part of the 18-point ‘to do’ list, based on feedback received from party leaders, handed down by the central leadership to Amarinder for implementation ahead of next year’s assembly elections.
Sidhu, who has been seeking action on the agenda, had conveyed to Rawat on Tuesday his dissatisfaction with the state government’s efforts on this front, urging him to get these issued sorted out to fulfill the expectations. The PPCC chief has repeatedly talked about bringing resolutions in the state assembly
on PPAs and farm laws. Last week, four cabinet ministers and several legislators had also declared open rebellion and sought the chief minister’s removal, expressing their total lack of faith in his ability to fulfill the pending promises. Their push for Amarinder’s replacement was not entertained.
After discussing the to-do list at length with the chief minister, Rawat, who seemed satisfied with the action on some of these issues, said the government would try to find a way to give power to consumers at reduced rates. “On PPAs, the CM said that some actions have been taken. I am hopeful that the state government will extend the facility of 200 units of free power given to SCs and poor to consumers of general category also. I have also requested him to give relief to general consumers and how much relief is to be given will be decided by him in consultation with the cabinet and others,” he said. Blaming the previous Akali government for “faulty” PPAs, the AICC general secretary said that it would not be possible to cancel them lock, stock and barrel due to its impact on the power availability and supply situation. “I suggested to him to revisit PPAs for cut in power purchase rates to give maximum benefit to consumers,” he added.
On the three farm laws, Rawat said he told the chief minister to meet the governor regarding the bills already passed by the state government which were pending with him.