With Ashu’s appointment as PPCC working president, fault lines re-emerge within Congress

The appointment of two-time MLA and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu as PPCC working president has caused the fault lines to re-emerge within the party

The appointment of two-time MLA and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu as Punjab Congress’ working president has caused the fault lines to re-emerge within the party.

Recently, Ashu, PPCC working president, spoke out against factionalism in the party, after he was not invited to a meeting held at the residence of former minister and Congress leader Rakesh Pandey. (Representative Image/HT File)

Recently, the 51-year-old leader spoke out against factionalism in the party, after he was not invited to a meeting held at the residence of former minister and Congress leader Rakesh Pandey.

Several senior leaders, including former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, had attended the meeting on March 30 to discuss the party’s rout in the Punjab elections.

The leaders excluded from the discussion, including ex-Congress MLA from Gill constituency Kuldeep Singh Vaid, registered their objection, and said that it was factionalism within the party that had led to the Congress’ defeat in the assembly polls.

The meeting was also seen as an attempt to pressure the party high command and sideline Ashu and his supporters.

Ashu, who was in Delhi on Sunday, thanked the party for reposing his faith in him. He said he will focus on maintaining discipline and unity within the party. “Mud-slinging and infighting have caused significant damage to the party, and has contributed to its loss.”

Meanwhile, Vaid congratulated Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the new Punjab Congress chief and Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

Goggi takes a dig at Ashu

Former Congress leader and AAP MLA from Ludhiana West Gurpreet Singh Goggi who had trounced Ashu in the assembly polls took a dig at his rival saying, “The grand old party only elevates sycophants and those with deep pockets. The party has no place for honest and hardworking men, which is why I and many other Congress leaders chose a different path and joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).”

He added that Sidhu had been used and discarded liked a tissue paper by the Congress.