7 Cong leaders deny being part of move to replace Amarinder

THEY SAID THE CLOSED-DOOR MEETING HAD BEEN CONVENED TO DISCUSS PARTY AFFAIRS

CHANDIGARH: Seven of the 20-odd Punjab Congress MLAs and ex-MLAs, who were purported to have been party to the demand for the removal of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, have completely disassociated themselves from any such move.

Denying being part of what they termed as “a conspiracy hatched by a section engaged in trying to drive a wedge within the party”, these seven leaders – MLAs Kuldeep Vaid, Dalvir Singh Goldy, Santokh Singh Bhalaipur, Angad Saini, Raja Warring, Gurkirat Singh Kotli and ex-MLA Ajit Singh Mofar – threw their weight behind the chief minister and reposed their full faith in his leadership, according to a statement issued by the chief minister’s media adviser Raveen Thukral.

Their denial came within hours of a list of party MLAs and ex-MLAs circulated by a section of the Punjab Congress, which claimed that these leaders wanted the replacement of Captain Amarinder Singh and intended taking up the matter with the high command, it said.

All seven of them said the closed-door meeting held at Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa’s residence, after which their names were fraudulently released along with others, had been convened to discuss party affairs. Some of the participants tried to raise the issue of the chief minister’s replacement but, contrary to claims, no unanimous resolution was passed or agreed upon. Taking strong exception to the misuse of their names in this manner, these seven made it clear that they do not subscribe to any such move against Amarinder. Mofar, in fact, said he did not even attend the said meeting and had merely gone to meet one of the cabinet ministers present there. He said he was shocked to see his name being touted as one of those seeking Amarinder’s removal. Vaid made it clear he was “not part of any such conspiracy against the chief minister”, while Goldy firmly put his might behind Capt Amarinder. Angad said he had gone to the meeting to discuss cooperative elections in his constituency, and Warring said he was not even aware of any such discussion being held during the meeting.

Bhalaipur and Kotli also denied any talk of the chief minister’s replacement taking place at the meeting, and added that there was no question of being party to such a demand.

All seven of them condemned the attempts by a section of the Punjab Congress to trigger revolt in the party ahead of the 2022 assembly elections, especially when the high command had already resolved the differences between Sidhu and Amarinder.

With the polls just months away, the party needs to work unitedly, as one integrated whole, and not fritter away its political advantage by indulging in petty politicking to promote personal vested interests, they said. They urged the Congress leadership to take immediate steps to quell any attempts to divide the party.