Navjot Singh Sidhu is an asset for Congress, says party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat
Punjab Congress legislator and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was conspicuous by his absence at the dharna led by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh at Khatkar Kalan against the Centre’s farm laws on Monday but the party still considers him an asset.
“Sidhu is an asset for the party and is close to Rahul ji (Congress leader Rahul Gandhi). I am foreseeing a bigger role for the charismatic leader in 2022 when Punjab goes to the polls. He can do well on the national political scene as the former cricketer has the ability to build a mass campaign. We will make meaningful use of his abilities,” All India Congress Committee general secretary and Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat said here.
On the reorganisation of the state Congress unit, Rawat said the party has assigned him the task of ensuring the Congress returns to power in Punjab in 2022. “For this, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) will be reconstituted. It’s long due. I will meet state Congress leaders and workers to assess the party’s mood, build consensus on issues, and give the feedback to the party president, who will take a final decision.”
Rawat did not confirm if Sidhu was being considered to lead the party’s state unit but said he will work for better coordination between the party and the government.
On the Shiromani Akali Dal snapping ties with the BJP, he said, “The SAD parted ways as a face-saver on the farmer issue. The SAD and the BJP have lost support of their votebank in Punjab. The Congress has strong chance of returning to power.”
Rawat, who has already met Congress rebel members of Parliament Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo in Delhi, said that he had listened to their views and issues raised by them. “Every problem has a solution. Their issues will be sorted out. I have asked them not to speak to the media and to raise their issues on a party platform,” he said.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Dry grass catches fire near railway track in Maharashtra’s Dahanu
The dry grass alongside the tracks between Dahanu and Gholvad railway stations caught fire on Thursday night in the Down section,officials said. The raging fire was reported at around 20.07 hrs, said tSatyakumar GVL, divisional regional manager, Mumbai division A tender from the Adani Thermal Power Station, Dahanu reached the spot but PWI had already controlled the fire, said Satyakumar and the fire was under control by 20.44 hrs. Train services were not hit, said the official.
-
U.P. budget: ‘Old wine in a new bottle, cobweb of data’
Farmer and opposition leaders have described the UP government's budget as “gimmickry of data” and have said it had nothing new for the benefit and welfare of farmers. Western UP is a sugarcane belt and the state government claimed in the budget that the payment of ₹1.72 lakh crore disbursed to farmers as their sugarcane dues till May 16, is ₹77,530 crore more than the five years accumulated payment of ₹95,215 crore.
-
Uttar Pradesh budget: State’s indebtedness nearly triples in 10 years
Uttar Pradesh's indebtedness has nearly tripled in the past 10 years. It has gone up from ₹ 2,25,123.59 crore at the end of 2012-2013 and is poised to reach ₹6,66,153.39 crore on March 31, 2023, according to the state government's analysis given in the Uttar Pradesh budget for 2022-23. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Minister for finance Suresh Khanna, however, said debt did not reflect badly on the economy.
-
Uttar Pradesh budget in sync with aspirations of 25 crore people of state: Yogi Adityanath
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday called the Uttar Pradesh Budget 2022-23 the state's biggest ever. He said it was an example of efficient financial management in sync with the aspirations of 25 crore people of the state. Describing it as all-inclusive and integrated-development oriented, he said the budget would pave the way for making the state a trillion dollar economy in five years and transform it into the country's biggest economy.
-
The Uttar Pradesh budget for 2022-23 has earmarked ₹ 276.66 crore for the newly constituted Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force. Besides, the state government has proposed ₹730.88 crore for strengthening the police emergency management system. The Uttar Pradesh budget has also earmarked ₹ 250 crore for the purchase of safety equipment, arms and ammunitions for district police stations.
