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Punjab polls: Cong won’t declare CM face, says Baghel
Attempting to play down the factional feud within the state unit, Baghel asserted that the “minor differences” would soon be resolved
Attempting to play down the factional feud within the state unit, Baghel asserted that the “minor differences” would soon be resolved.
“All senior leaders will stand united before the assembly polls. Rahul Gandhi will soon visit Punjab, where all prominent leaders will share the stage to send a message of unity,” Baghel said while addressing district-level workers’ meetings in Ferozepur and Fazilka.
Baghel maintained that internal differences were common in all political parties. The party launched the grassroots mobilisation drive in Fatehgarh Sahib on July 31. The disruptions in Fazilka and Ferozepur followed similar factional protests in Bathinda, Patiala, Sangrur, and Barnala, as the Congress leadership attempts to present a united front ahead of the state elections.
The murmurs of discontent began after July 1 when the Congress decided to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as its Punjab unit president and appointed Channi as the chairperson of its campaign committee. A section of leaders led by Channi and Randhawa opposed the move to retain Warring as the Punjab Congress president and sought his removal from the position. The high command has rallied behind Warring.
Taking a swipe at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Baghel said both parties were grappling with infighting.
“If there had been no infighting, seven Rajya Sabha MPs would not have left the party. The BJP, too, is grappling with factionalism from the Union cabinet to the grassroots,” the former Chhattisgarh chief minister said.
State chief and Ludhiana MP Warring also sought to play down speculation over internal differences, saying differences of opinion do not amount to disunity.
“Even a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have disagreements, but that does not mean the relationship is broken,” he said, reiterating that the Punjab Congress remained united and that he was not in the race for the chief minister’s post.
Warring urged party workers to strengthen the organisation at the booth level by constituting an 11-member team for every booth and appointing one in-charge for each page of the electoral roll. “If this structure is implemented effectively, no force will be able to defeat the Congress,” he said.
Launching a sharp attack on the AAP government, Warring alleged that Punjab was reeling under drug abuse, gangsterism, corruption and unemployment.
He said that Congress would launch protests if the state government failed to release pending dearness allowance (DA) to employees within 15 days.
Former MLA and Ferozepur District Congress president Kulbir Singh Zira expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in Punjab in 2027.
He suggested that the party field Warring against Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Charanjit Singh Channi against chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Partap Singh Bajwa against Bikram Singh Majithia and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa against Amritpal Singh, saying such high-profile contests would energise the party cadre.
MP Sher Singh Ghubaya and former MLA Raminder Singh Awla were notably absent from the meeting.
