Factionalism in Batala Cong: Sekhri claims Bajwa poses life threat to him

Factionalism in Batala Congress has been a regular affair; Punjab cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa has rubbished all allegations of Sekhri

Batala Factionalism has reared its head in the Batala Congress again with former MLA Ashwani Sekhri accusing Punjab cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa of ‘posing a life threat’ to him with the help of criminal elements. Sekhri claimed that he will write to Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and the Congress high command, complaining about the behaviour of Bajwa, who is the serving MLA from the adjoining constituency Fatehgarh Churian.

Former MLA Ashwani Sekhri was made chairman of Punjab Health Systems Corporation to ensure his peaceful presence within the Congress and stop any infighting. (HT Photo)

Batala, the assembly constituency of Gurdaspur, has history of such war of words between Sekhri and Bajwa. To quell this, Sekhri was seen as having been placated with appointment as chairman of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC). He also termed Bajwa as super chief minister. Responding to the allegations, Bajwa said, “Whatever is he saying about me makes no sense. Nor is he speaking the truth.”

Both the leaders are in feud for long time. Despite being elected from the adjoining constituency, Bajwa takes interest in Batala, which is the stronghold of Sekhri, a prominent Hindu face of the party in the Majha region. The three-time MLA is also staking claim of the party ticket for upcoming assembly elections.

After getting made a Punjab minister in 2017, Bajwa started increasing his influence in segment and managed to put his loyalists at the helm in the Batala municipal corporation, Improvement Trust and the Market Committee, thereby marginalising Sekhri. In September last year, Sekhri had filed a police complaint against Bajwa for ‘ignoring’ Covid-19 norms. Sekhri lost the 2017 assembly elections to SAD candidate Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal by 500 votes.

After Sekhri planned to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), recently, the then CM Captain Amarinder Singh gave him the key post of PHSC chairman. Bajwa then sided with the anti-Amarinder faction at the state level. After this, Bajwa’s wings were clipped and his loyalists removed from the Batala local bodies. This paved the way for the re-emergence of Sekhri. However, exit of Capt Amarinder has again resulted in the revival of Bajwa and he ensured his loyalists get the key posts again.

Now, despite the post, Sekhri is feeling suffocated in his bastion. His aides are not sure that he will get the party ticket, even as Bajwa has made it clear that he will contest from Fatehgarh Churian.