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Divergent views emerge on alliance with AAP in Punjab: Congress’ state in-charge
Devender Yadav, who wrapped up his three-day visit, said he apprise the party high command of the Punjab leaders’ views on the issue
Congress’ Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav on Thursday said he has received different views from state party leaders on the issue of an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls.
Yadav also said he will apprise the Congress high command of the Punjab leaders’ views on the issue, and asserted that his party will win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Amid a section of party leaders seeking disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu for holding individual rallies without consulting the state unit, Yadav said if anybody, be it a worker or a big leader, breaks discipline, action will be taken against him.
Yadav on Thursday wrapped up his three-day visit after holding a series of meetings with party legislators and block and district presidents, and discussed various issues including alliance, discipline and strategy for the upcoming general elections.
Yadav said he held discussion with everyone on the issue of an alliance with the ruling AAP in Punjab.
“Everybody has given their views. Different views have emerged (on alliance issue),” he told reporters replying to a question on the alliance. Asked whether sentiments were against the alliance, Yadav refused to comment, saying this was not the platform to discuss it here. “It is an internal matter,” he added.
Asked that many leaders were opposing a tie-up with the AAP, Yadav said, “Our party has democracy and it will always remain.”
To a question on Sidhu’s rallies, Yadav said he met Sidhu who informed him that he had some prior programmes.
“We have democracy and everybody wants to strengthen the Congress party in their own way. Definitely, everybody is given space, but discipline is very important. In the coming time, you will see whosoever breaks discipline, action will be taken against him,” he said.
Yadav said the state unit has planned to take out a yatra in more than 100 assembly segments in Punjab. Almost 20 km will be covered in a day in the yatra, he said.
{Rally row}
Discipline is for everyone: Sidhu
Yadav, who is a member of the AICC, was on a three-day visit to the state. “I told Yadav that discipline is for everyone. It cannot be one thing for a few and something else for the rest of the people,” Sidhu said after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Sidhu posted a cryptic video message on social media against people who make ‘compromises’. “Kaudi Kaudi bikey hue log, samjhauta karke ghutno pe tike hue log. Bargad ki baat karte hain, gamle me uge hue log,” the cricketer-turned-politician said. The message targets people who have “sold themselves for pennies”, made compromises, and have been “brought to their knees”. “People who grew up in flower pots talk about the banyan tree,” it said. When asked for whom his post on X was meant, he said the “public knows everything”.
After many Congress leaders sought action against Sidhu for holding rallies without consulting the state unit, Yadav had on December 9 said that he would speak to the former cricketer.
The former Punjab Congress chief said that he has a programme of holding another public meeting on January 21 and going to Kartarpur Sahib on January 24.
