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Squabbling, indiscipline led to Cong rout in Punjab, say party’s Malwa candidates
Called by Congress Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary for feedback to introspect party’s defeat, candidates said Sidhu, Channi and Jakhar’s statements resulted in the poor showing
Chandigarh: Punjab Congress candidates from the Malwa region, who met state affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary on Tuesday, blamed incessant infighting among the state unit top brass and indiscipline for the assembly poll debacle in the state.
The candidates, who were called by Chaudhary for feedback to introspect the party’s crushing defeat in the state, spoke their minds during the one-on-one meetings with him at the Punjab Congress headquarters here.
The AAP had swept the polls winning 92 of the 117 assembly seats, pushing the Congress to a distant runner-up position with only 18 seats. Malwa accounts for 69 assembly seats and the Congress won just two.
The party candidates almost unanimously held squabbling and statements of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, outgoing chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and campaign committee head Sunil Jakhar responsible for the poor showing.
Gidderbaha MLA and former minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who has got re-elected from his seat, said that indiscipline was a major factor for the defeat. “The infighting showed the party as non-serious and dented the prospects,” he said, advising his colleagues to put a united face and stop bickering.
Another former minister and four-time legislator Randeep Singh Nabha, who lost from Amloh, said there were cracks in the party and discordant noises made by Channi, Sidhu, Jakhar and (Rajya Sabha member Ambika) Soni affected the sentiment of people. The removal of Capt Amarinder Singh (from the CM’s post) just four months before the elections and continued discord hurt the party, he told journalists.
Echoing reasons cited by other party leaders, Lakhvir Singh Lakha, who failed to retain his Payal reserved seat, said top leaders lacked cohesion and their rift disappointed the people who got swayed the (AAP’s) appeal for change. “The PPCC chief, then CM and the campaign panel chairman should have worked together,” he said.
While Darshan Singh Brar, who failed to retain the Baghapurana seat, blamed that Jakhar’s remarks for Hindus deserting the party and losses in the urban areas, former Bassi Pathana MLA Gurpreet Singh GP, who also lost, squarely blamed Channi for the rout. “Channi is the only reason for the Congress’ defeat. He should not have been declared the CM face, especially after the raid on his nephew. If his brother (contested against GP as a rebel) didn’t listen to him, why would Punjab listen to him?” GP said, accusing senior leaders of misleading the high command about Channi. GP also strongly backed Sidhu, stating that he should have been given a free hand. “Had he been the face of the Congress, we would have won 50 seats,” he insisted.
Former minister Razia Sultana and former MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman also spoke in Sidhu’s support, saying that he was only highlighting the ground realities and speaking the truth. Channi and Sidhu, who lost their seats, also reached the party office, but did not talk to the media.
Earlier, Chaudhary said he was taking feedback from the party candidates to ascertain the reasons for the defeat. “I take full responsibility as in-charge of the state,” he told reporters on being asked about persons responsible for this performance. He is scheduled to meet candidates from Doaba and Majha regions on Wednesday.
However, not all party candidates were satisfied with the manner in which the exercise was being conducted. A senior leader, who is among the unsuccessful candidates, called the exercise an eyewash. “What purpose will this serve? When the party replaced the chief minister last year, the whole thing was turned into a public spectacle by summoning leaders to Delhi. Now, we need to sit together to discuss the debacle thoroughly and introspect, but feedback is being sought in a hush-hush manner through one-on-one meetings,” another former MLA griped.
