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Punjab Congress suspends Navjot Sidhu’s Moga rally organisers
PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had warned of strict action against leaders’ indiscipline several times. However, action has been taken against only the event organisers and not Sidhu, against whom a report had been sent to the party high command too.
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) on Saturday suspended former MLA Maheshinder Nihalsingwala and his son Dahram Pal Singh, organisers of former PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Moga rally.
They were suspended for indiscipline by holding a rally in Moga without consulting the local unit. They have been removed from all party positions, and the primary membership of the PPCC.
PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had warned of strict action against leaders’ indiscipline several times. However, action has been taken against only the event organisers and not Sidhu, against whom a report had been sent to the party high command too.
This is the first major whip which the PPCC has cracked against Sidhu and his supporters, who were carrying out parallel activities in Punjab under the banner of “Jittega Punjab, Jittegi Congress” catchphrase
Former cricketer-turned-politician has held four rallies, including two in Bathinda and one each in Hoshiarpur and Moga, without consulting the state unit. Despite PPCC warning, Sidhu held the rallies and attacked not only the government but also certain leaders of Congress for being inefficient.
The Moga rally was organised by the party’s former district president Maheshinder Singh, a former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator from Baghapurana, who had joined the Congress in 2017 after being denied an assembly ticket. He was appointed the Congress’ district president in 2019.
Though the local party unit in Moga distanced itself from the rally stating that it was Sidhu’s solo event, many supporters turned up for it.
PPCC general secretary Captain Sandeep Sandhu had issued a show-cause notice to Maheshinder and his son, following a complaint by Moga party in-charge Malvika Sood Sachar, sister of actor Sonu Sood. Sachar had openly opposed the rally and asked Congress workers not to participate, terming it a ‘personal event’.
The show-cause notice read, “A complaint was received from Malvika Sood Sachar that you did not discuss this meeting with her, nor did you inform the PPCC, district president or local leaders. The party’s principle is that if any programme is to be carried out in the constituency, it should be with the consent of the local senior leadership. Ever since the assembly elections, there have been many complaints that you are in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and involved in activities against the party. You are given two days to present your side; if there is no response from you, then the party will take disciplinary action against you,” the notice added.
Though Maheshinder replied to the notice, the party didn’t find his reply satisfactory. Party is gearing up for elections and at this stage no indiscipline will be tolerated, said Durlabh Sidhu, a Punjab Congress leader and close aide of the PPCC president.
