Muktsar, September 3
Feeling “ignored” after the formation of the party’s government in the state, hundreds of Congress workers today converged on the local Rest House to air their grievances before the PPCC President, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo.

Disgruntled party leader Jagmeet Brar was also seen on the party’s platform after a long hiatus. With his appearance the factionalism in the party also came to the fore. Mr Brar accorded a warm welcome to the PPCC chief at Sarai Naga and accompanied him to the city. But
he parted ways when Mr Dhullo headed towards District Congress Chief Gursant Singh Brar’s residence for breakfast.

On the other hand, Gursant Singh Brar skipped lunch at Jagmeet’s home. Sources attributed the heavy turnout of party workers to “show of strength” between two groups. Supporters of both the groups rooted for their leaders and raised slogans in their favour when the PPCC Chief reached Rest House.

The PPCC Chief first held a press conference at the residence of the District Congress chief, Mr Gursant Singh Brar. Interacting with mediapersons, Mr Dullo said the Congress would fight the forthcoming Assembly elections on the issue of development, while Akalis had only one-point agenda, which was to make Sukhbir Badal the CM. He said he would meet the party workers at all district headquarters and would give them a patient hearing so as to get first hand account of their problems.

He said recruitments at village level would soon start to strengthen the party organisation and representation would be given to all sections of society. He said a meeting of party MLAs and part’s defeated candidates in last Assembly elections, would be held in Chandigarh on September 7, where they would discuss the strategy for the coming Assembly polls. He said he was seeking feedback from the party workers and did not rule out any change in the party organisation.

Mr Dullo ruled out any difference of opinion with the Chief Minister on free power to small farmers and recruitment of ETT teachers. He said job security had to be given priority while making appointments of ETT teachers and not that the job was permanent or contractual.

On the state government allotting luxury cars to its ministers when paucity of funds had hit development works, he simply said these cars were efficient and needed less repair.

On police becoming a “mute spectator” to a protest against Gohana incident in Jalandhar, where protesters brandished swords, he said law and order would be maintained at all costs and protests should be peaceful.

Mr Dullo could not give a convincing reply to the police highhandedness in the cases of journalist Gautam Dheer and Chandigarh resident Manjot Kaur, who was rounded up by the police suspecting her links with Babbar Khalsa, but was later found innocent in a probe.