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Chaudhary says Capt’s removal as Punjab CM a well-thought-out decision
Chaudhary added that the party wanted to change the CM much before it actually happened, with the situation caused by the Covid19 pandemic adding to the delay
Chandigarh/Patiala All-India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary has stated that the change of guard in poll-bound Punjab was not an outcome of ‘Antarkalah’ (internal squabbling) but of antarmanthan (brainstorming) by the Congress party.
Chaudhary added the decision to replace former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was taken after much deliberation after feedback from legislators, workers and various quarters. The party wanted to make the change long before it took place, but could not do so to the situation created by the Covid-19 pandemic, he said in an interaction with journalists on Saturday night, calling it a “considered decision”.
Capt Amarinder Singh was made to resign by the Congress leadership on September 18, following a long-drawn tussle with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, four cabinet ministers and several party MLAs amid fears that anti-incumbency arising from his style of functioning could hurt the party’s chances in state assembly polls in 2022. Charanjit Singh Channi, who was among the rebel ministers, was picked as the first Scheduled Caste CM of Punjab.
Chaudhary added that the biggest challenge before the Congress and the new state government (headed by Channi) was paucity of time. “We have got only 90 days. There will be only a few days for governance before the elections,” he said. He also spoke on internal democracy in the party, stating that every individual had the right to express himself. “It is for the organisational set-up to decide the level, where such views can be presented and the limit to which one can go.”
The Rajasthan revenue minister was appointed Punjab affairs in-charge on October 22, in place of former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat. He had earlier worked as co-incharge of party affairs in the state in the run-up to the 2017 elections in which the Congress got almost a two-third majority.
MEETS PARTY WORKERS IN CAPT’S CITADEL
Chaudhary also met party workers in Patiala, the citadel of Capt Amarinder, on Monday, to gear up cadre for assembly elections. Captain’s wife and MP Preneet Kaur; mayor Sanjiv Bittu, PRTC chairman KK Sharma; Gau Sewa commission chairman Sachin Sharma; district Congress president KK Malhotra did not attend the meeting. Most leaders, MLAs and other prominent party functionaries attended the meeting.
In his speech, Chaudhary asked the workers to gear up for the elections. He said that with reduction in electricity tariff and fuel, the common man in Punjab has been given direct relief. “Though the decision on Capt was delayed, we removed him as he failed to perform as CM. Now, Channi is performing well,” Chaudhary added.
Responding to media queries on the absence of Preneet, Chaudhary said, “Leaders and prominent faces met me at Chandigarh, I came here to meet workers.” On being pressed for a response, “The party will decide on those who go against it,” he added.
On replacing the Patiala mayor and other loyalists of Capt Amarinder in the royal city, Chaudhary refused to comment.
Launching a verbal assault on Capt, Mandi Board chairman Lal Singh said, “I can assure every worker that Captain won’t be able to win a single seat. His only agenda is to defeat the Congress and we have to work to defeat this.” MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur claimed that Amarinder worked for officers, and not for Congress workers.
