Giving another jolt to state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, who is facing stern criticism in the form of a spree of resignations from his recently announced list of office-bearers of the PPCC, senior Congress leaders Choudhary Jagjit Singh, Choudhary Santokh Singh and Amarjit Singh Samra also resigned from the posts of permanent invitees.
The three sent their resignation letters to Bajwa and accused him of creating a new vertical division within the state unit of the party by adopting "favouritism" while reconstituting the list.
"We feel there should have been a well-balanced and inclusive approach while constituting a body which was supposed to be the fighter group to revitalise and rejuvenate the party cadre before the parliamentary elections of 2014," the three senior leaders told HT while expressing their annoyance with Bajwa.
People, who worked against the interests of the party's official candidates in the 2012 assembly elections, which acted as a catalyst in the defeat of the party, especially at a moment when the Congress was poised to wrestle back power from the clutches of the SAD-BJP, had been bestowed with positions of prime responsibilities in the executive, they alleged.
{{/usCountry}}People, who worked against the interests of the party's official candidates in the 2012 assembly elections, which acted as a catalyst in the defeat of the party, especially at a moment when the Congress was poised to wrestle back power from the clutches of the SAD-BJP, had been bestowed with positions of prime responsibilities in the executive, they alleged.
{{/usCountry}}"Even people with no political credibility to boast of have been given responsible positions which are in complete contrast to their anti-party activities," the three said in a joint statement.
The former ministers alleged that the much-hyped representation to the Dalit community was a complete farce. They accused Bajwa of crafty deliberations to demoralise and demean the contribution of seasoned senior Dalit leaders of the state, especially of Doaba region.
"Even due representation to women was also not given while reconstituting the PPCC," they alleged, adding that hence the present assignment of "permanent invitee" in the PPCC to the senior Congress leaders certainly did not commensurate with the loyal contribution, experience of decades, hard work and long standing within the Congress.
In their joint communication to Bajwa, they said, "We beg your pardon to have the audacity to highlight this inconvenient state of mind for which we feel we have the right as well, being thorough Congressmen who have never been jumping loyalties and compromising for selfish motives. We feel that there is an urgent need to tackle this alarming situation keeping in view the forthcoming general elections. Kindly relieve us of our present assignments."
However, the three assured unconditional faith in the Congress party and its ideology to the party high command saying they would continue to work towards strengthening the party.