‘Can’t go back on promise to jail ex-Akali ministers, have sent resignation to Rahul’

CHANDIGARH: Days ahead of a party meeting on November 6 at Chandigarh, Rajya Sabha MP and former Punjab Congress chief Partap Bajwa, fired the first salvo against Captain Amarinder Singh government in the state.

In an interview to a news channel, Bajwa said he had sent his resignation to party vicepresident Rahul Gandhi as “he cannot backtrack from his promise made to people before polls to jail former Akali ministers involved in various scams”.

Bajwa is the first senior Congress leader to articulate displeasure with Captain’s performance. The statement comes a few days after Amarinder, while responding to growing clamour among a section of Congress MLAs for action against former revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia for his alleged involvement in a drug case had said: “Though I too believe Majithia could be involved, there is no evidence to take action against him.”

“I have already sent my resignation to Rahul Gandhi three months ago, along with a letter asking what I should do if the government does not take action against Sukhbir Badal (former deputy CM and SAD president), Majithia, Tota Singh (former agriculture minister) and Adaish Partap Singh Kairon (former food and civil supplies minister).

“All four looted the state. Sukhbir by setting up private power plants, Majithia through drug trade, Tota Singh by selling spurious pesticide and Kairon by bungling in food procurement and leaving Punjab under a debt of Rs 31,000 crore in cash credit limit. I had said we would throw these leaders into jail within a month after forming the government. And I stand by that. I have asked Rahul to tell me what should I do. If Rahul tells me to resign, I will do so,” he said.

Though carefully guarded in his responses to not sound a rebel, Bajwa has decided to go public with his resignation as he has so far got no response from Rahul.

“Inaction against leaders allegedly involved in drug trade has raised questions. I will raise this matter on November 6 with CM. He should be asked why no action has yet been taken against these people,” Partap Bajwa said, giving the state government “5 out of 10 marks” that too only for “hassle-free” procurement of crops.

I’m giving the state government 5 out of 10 marks on performance. It has not been able to repair roads, improve education or health facilities. PARTAP SINGH BAJWA, RS MP