A three-member committee set up by Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh to look into allegations of indiscipline against party leader and former deputy speaker Bir Devinder Singh has recommended latter’s expulsion from the party.
The panel --- headed by MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa --- termed Bir Devinder, who was recently locked in a war of words with Amarinder, as “traitor and overambitious.”
The panel has recommended Bir Devinder’s expulsion “to set an example that personal ambitions won’t be accommodated at cost of party prospects”, said sources
Apart from Randhawa, other members of the panel are Ajaib Singh Bhatti and Rana KP Singh. Randhawa said he has submitted the report to Amarinder, who will take a final call in this regard.
“The report is based on feedback from workers, leaders and Bir Devinder’s past and present conduct,” said Randhawa.
Sources said the four-page report, along with over a dozen annexures, reveals how Bir Devinder had “ditched the Congress leadership from time to time”. It also talks about his “outbursts” against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Bir Devinder is upset with Amarinder after the latter virtually negated his request to field him from the Ghanaur assembly seat. Amarinder participated in a rally organised by former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur and clearly hinted that he would be the party choice from the segment.
{{/usCountry}}Bir Devinder is upset with Amarinder after the latter virtually negated his request to field him from the Ghanaur assembly seat. Amarinder participated in a rally organised by former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur and clearly hinted that he would be the party choice from the segment.
{{/usCountry}}A war of words erupted between Bir Devinder and Captain after former in an article in Hindustan Times said the party leadership was “inaccessible and incommunicado.”
Amarinder, in a counter write-up, rebutted Bir Devinder’s charges. Later, Bir Devinder alleged that “Amarinder had offered him a ministerial berth in lieu of signing an affidavit that would bail him out of the Amritsar Improvement Trust case.” Bir Devinder claimed that when he denied to sign the document, the PPCC president started targeting him.
Amarinder is likely to take a call on probe panel’s report in a day or two, said sources.
Bir Devinder keeps mum
Bir Devinder, who failed to appear before the committee, refused to make any comment, saying party poll strategist Prashant Kishore has asked him to refrain from going to the media. “As I didn’t receive any communication from the PPCC, there was no question of appearing before the probe panel,” he added