Gurkanwal Kaur, former minister and daughter of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh on Saturday came down heavily on the functioning of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa and said he had failed to maintain unity among Congress workers.
"Outsiders are felicitated with offices and those who are Congressmen by heart are sidelined or ignored," she said, while addressing newsmen here.
She also took on Bajwa for allotting offices to his brother and wife. "When my father was the chief minister, none of our family members was allowed to hold any office within the party. Values stand nowhere these days. Many of the senior Congress leaders have either quit PPCC or publicly showed their annoyance against the aristocratic style of functioning of the PPCC chief," she said.
Gurkanwal also flayed the PPCC chief for including only 9 women in the list. "Where is the principle of giving 33% representation to women? I am sending my resentment over it through a letter to the high command also," she added.
Gurkanwal Kaur was sidelined by the Congress in 2012 assembly elections for Jalandhar Cantonment seat and the ticket was given to Jagbir Brar, who joined the Congress after changing loyalty from the People's Party of Punjab (PPP).
{{/usCountry}}Gurkanwal Kaur was sidelined by the Congress in 2012 assembly elections for Jalandhar Cantonment seat and the ticket was given to Jagbir Brar, who joined the Congress after changing loyalty from the People's Party of Punjab (PPP).
{{/usCountry}}"Leaders like Brar are opportunists only. Earlier, he was Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA, thereafter he changed his loyalty towards PPP. Again, he switched loyalty and Joined Congress and he contested elections unsuccessfully from Jalandhar Cantonment. Now he has been crowned as the president of Jalandhar (rural) Congress. The feelings of grassroots level party workers got hurt due to this," she added.
Swearing on her father, she said, "If the party failed to amend the discrepancies in the coming days by giving due representation to women and Congress workers, I will start a fast-unto-death to seek their due for the betterment of the party."