2024 LS polls: Punjab Cong leaders air their views in meeting with party bosses, no decision on truck with AAP
The meeting in which Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal held discussions with more than 30 members of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) for Punjab saw the state leaders forcefully put forth their views for and against the alliance
A meeting held by the Congress high command with top party leaders from Punjab on Tuesday to discuss the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections ended without any decision on an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.
The meeting in which Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal held discussions with more than 30 members of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) for Punjab saw the state leaders forcefully put forth their views for and against the alliance. The state Congress is sharply divided over any tie-up with the AAP in the state, and the party leaders, including the state unit office-bearers, MPs and MLAs stuck to their publicly stated positions in the meeting, two people privy to the discussion said on the condition of anonymity.
“The central leaders heard everyone but remained non-committal on the alliance issue. They said the views of the state leaders will be taken into consideration before deciding anything, and no decision will be taken without taking them into confidence,” one of the people quoted above said even as most party leaders remained tight-lipped on the discussions. Another leader said the state unit assured the central leadership that they will abide by the party’s decision. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Partap Singh Bajwa, while refusing to go into details as it was a “closed-door meeting”, said the central leadership told them that their views have been heard and they need not worry as the party’s interests will be protected.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring told reporters said the leadership did not broach the alliance issue or discuss anything about seat-sharing, but the state leaders put forth their views. “The main focus of the discussion was the party strategy, issues and preparations for the LS polls,” he told reporters at a brief press conference after the meeting. Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav said the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere. “I am hopeful that all party leaders will be jointly and unitedly ready for the challenge in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” he added. Ambika Soni, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Rana KP Singh, Pargat Singh, Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Sandeep Sandhu, Gurjit Singh Aujla, Manish Tewari, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Ravneet Singh Bittu were among the party leaders who attended the meeting.
While the central leadership was also urged to name the candidates at the earliest or give an indication to party leaders whose names are finalised to allow them adequate time to work in their constituencies, several leaders stressed the need to maintain discipline in the party. “The Congress high command assured the state leaders that they will ensure strict discipline in the party,” another state leader said. Before the meeting, Warring warned the party leaders that strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to break the party discipline in the state. The PPCC chief also asked the party leaders to express their opinions on the party platform only. “If anyone wants to express his personal opinion, he will have to leave the party. Everyone has to maintain the party discipline, be it the PCC president, former president or block president,” he told reporters without naming anyone. The statement came just days after a war of words broke out between Sidhu and Bajwa last week after the former held a ‘Jitega Punjab’ rally at Mehraj in Bathinda and took digs at some party leaders, including former chief minister Charanjit Channi. Sidhu had also advocated an alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP in the upcoming polls. Reacting sharply to Sidhu’s rally, Bajwa asked him not to hold his separate akhara, advising him to speak on the party platform. Later, some other Congress leaders issued a statement demanding action against Sidhu whose supporters also hit back at the CLP leader.