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Congress infighting: Sukhpal Khaira’s fresh salvo at Punjab minister Rana Gurjeet
Sukhpal Khaira’s claims have again left the Congress red-faced ahead of the Punjab polls, with no end to infighting between the two party leaders
Congress leader and former Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Saturday fired a fresh salvo at his bête noire and Punjab minister Rana Gurjeet Singh, alleging that he had secured the cabinet berth in the Charanjit Singh Channi government using his money power. Khaira, who is the fray from Bholath, also announced to contest the next assembly election against Rana Gurjeet from Kapurthala.
Khaira’s claims have again left the Congress red-faced ahead of the Punjab polls, with no end to infighting between the two leaders who last month wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking each other’s expulsion from the party.
Khaira was addressing a rally at Sultanpur Lodhi in favour of Congress candidate Navtej Singh Cheema, against whom Rana Gurjeet’s son Inder Pratap Singh is fighting as an Independent. Khaira said most people in politics have turned it into business. “They contest elections and become MLA; then they throw money at high-ups to become minister; later, they fill their own pockets,” he said, while alleging that he knew where Rana Gurjeet had paid money to secure his ministership.
Khaira said the Congress government brought Rana Gurjeet back in the cabinet even as he had to earlier resign over sand mining allegations, adding that still the minister “didn’t feel ashamed” while fielding his son as an Independent against the party’s nominee . “My family has been contesting elections from Bholath for the last 50 years, and will further contest. But I will contest the next election against Rana from Kapurthala and will end his hegemony,” he said.
When contacted over phone, Rana Gurjeet Singh declined to comment on the allegations levelled by Khaira, while adding that he should have contested from Kapurthala this time instead of waiting for the next election.
