Revolt in Bajwa home district also
Revolt chases Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa even in his home district. As effect of Bajwa's changing the party's office-bearers in the state, Fatehgarh Churian legislator Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, whom was put on the executive committee, resigned from his party office on Monday, sending his papers to Bajwa on fax.
Revolt chases Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa even in his home district.
As effect of Bajwa's changing the party's office-bearers in the state, Fatehgarh Churian legislator Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, whom was put on the executive committee, resigned from his party office on Monday, sending his papers to Bajwa on fax. In his resignation letter (HT has a copy), he has first thanked the leader for putting him on the committee and then thanked him for also picking two or three of his opponents.
Not willing to work with his detractors from the 2012 assembly elections, Tripat has advised Bajwa sarcastically to "find one or two more to reward for violating the party discipline". "Your move, I'm sure, will further strengthen Gurdaspur District Congress Committee (DCC). As MLA (member of the legislative assembly), I have a platform already to serve people as a Congressman," he wrote in the same mocking tone.
Raman Bahl also annoyed
Senior Congress leaders such as Raman Bahl, who had lost the last Gurdaspur Vidhan Sabha election, are protesting in different ways over Bajwa's keeping them out of the team. Except Bahl, all other Congress candidates who won or lost the last assembly contest from Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts are on the new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) list.
Bahl's grouse is same as Tripat's, that those who supported his rival Akali candidate openly in the 2012 assembly election, have found favour. Two days ago, former union minister of law and justice and now member of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, Ashwani Kumar, who is from Gurdaspur, had told the media that many senior party leaders called him up to say they had been left out.
MP sees 'error'
Kumar had said he would report the matter to the party high command and get "the error" rectified. Bahl is annoyed more at the appointment of a new Congressman from Gurdaspur with Akali background as PPCC secretary. The man reportedly has spread the word that the next Congress assembly election ticket in Gurdaspur was his.
The leaders from the district who are on the list don't have mass base, which will weaken the party, Bahl has said. Gurdaspur DCC president Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa confirmed that he had complaints from the Congressmen about the new list and that he would take those to the senior leadership.