On an assurance given by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Capt Amarinder Singh, disgruntled Congressmen have for the time being decided against forming a separate group and contesting the elections to the Amritsar municipal corporation (MC) slated for next month.
"The PPCC chief has agreed to hear our grievances and is expected to be here next week," leaders of the disgruntled group, Surinder Singh Shinda, a former senior deputy mayor, and Pradeep Saini said here on Saturday.
The group was seeking the removal of Amritsar District Congress Committee (DCC) chief Jugal Kishore Sharma from his post on the grounds that he "did not put in sincere efforts for the party candidates" during the last assembly polls.
The group has also demanded that senior party leader Prof Darbari Lal be removed as chairman of the committee formed by the PPCC for selection of candidates for the MC polls.
The group members, all of whom owe allegiance to OP Soni, the party MLA from Amritsar Central, had given a 72-hour notice to the PPCC for the removal of the two from their posts. The deadline of the notice expired on Friday.
Shinda and Saini said the assurance by the PPCC chief was conveyed to Soni, who in turn advised them to postpone their proposed action against the party's district leadership.
{{/usCountry}}Shinda and Saini said the assurance by the PPCC chief was conveyed to Soni, who in turn advised them to postpone their proposed action against the party's district leadership.
{{/usCountry}}The two said they would meet former MLA Rana KP on Sunday to air their grievances. Rana KP is the convener of the candidates' selection committee for Amritsar.
The two leaders sought to make it clear that their intention was not to harm or weaken the Congress. They claimed that they were only airing their grievances as the district leadership was ignoring their supporters.
"If our grievances are not taken note of, then we will be left with no option but to float a separate group and fight the elections on all 65 wards. We have no intention of joining any other party, and if our candidates win, they will support the Congress in the MC house," said Saini.