M A I N   N E W S

Capt urges dissidents to resolve differences
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Mehraj (Bathinda), December 17
While urging the dissidents to sort out their differences and to fight the SAD-BJP communal forces on a united platform in the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today categorically stated that criminal case pertaining to the embezzlement of funds and corruption registered against the state Agriculture Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, would not be taken back.

Capt Amarinder Singh rushed to Delhi from here after laying foundations stone of various development projects. He had managed an opportunity to meet the AICC chief, Ms Sonia Gandhi, late tonight to present his views over the dissident movement and the power struggle between him and Mrs Bhattal He claimed that how he could take criminal case of Mrs Bhattal back when the court was going to frame charges against her.

While claiming that dissident movement in the Punjab Congress would not affect the party’s prospects in the coming Lok Sabha elections, he said that before approaching the party high command, the dissidents should have come to him with their problems. He, however, said that he would not change his style of functioning and added that he did not want to make any issue over any comment on his style of functioning: “I am not ready to change as it is not acceptable to me”.

“It is unfortunate that some partymen have been thinking that they are bigger than the party and they have been trying to fulfil their personal ambitions instead of strengthening the party,” pointed out Capt Amarinder Singh and added that he would not like to comment over the allegations leveled against him by Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal that he had carried out huge repairs of his Moti Bagh palace with Rajasthani stones.

Capt Amarinder Singh did not speak against the SAD and its president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, during his speech at the rally organised here.

Sinha, Sodhi and Chahal not removed

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday categorically stated that the Principal Secretary, Mr S.K. Sinha, the Political Secretary, Mr Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi and the Media Adviser, Mr Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, had not been removed from their posts.

Capt Amarinder Singh, who visited his ancestral village here to launch various development projects, said that Mr Sinha, Mr Sodhi and Mr Chahal were working on their respective posts and would continue in same capacities.

He said that only Mr Chahal had proceeded on three months’ leave, as he wanted to go abroad for some personal reasons. He added that removal of Mr Sinha, Mr Chahal and Mr Sodhi from their respective posts was an administrative matter and he would look into it whenever he would sit in his office at Chandigarh. He said that some newspapers had published the news item pertaining to the removal of these three persons on their own. — TNS