New Delhi, June 14
Demanding adequate representation in the Punjab PCC, supporters of Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar today complained to the AICC leaders about their “neglect” by the state Congress leadership and said the party’s interests would be served by projecting a “collective leadership” for the Assembly elections early next year.
Mr Brar’s supporters met senior party leader and Union Minister Oscar Fernandes, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi and Congress President Political Secretary Ahmed Patel, demanding that the PCC should be broadbased giving representation to leaders according to their standing and contribution to the party.
They said fighting the next Assembly election under Capt Amarinder Singh would go against the interests of the party. Mr Dwivedi told The Tribune later that he had asked party workers to work unitedly.
The supporters of Mr Brar, who included the three leaders recently suspended by the Punjab PCC for going public with their criticism of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh over the issue of land transfer to Reliance Industry Limited, alleged that genuine workers were being ignored by the state party leadership.
In a hard-hitting memorandum addressed to
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, supporters of Mr Brar who had come from different parts of the state, alleged that leaders of standing in the party were being ignored in the restructuring of the PCC. They said the exercise was being done in an “irresponsible and casual” manner.
Coming down heavily on the performance of the Amarinder Singh government, the memorandum said the state government was in a hurry to
sanction projects at the fag end of its tenure without looking at their feasibility and utility.
“These so-called mega projects have been cleared without taking the CLP, PCC executive and the party high command into confidence.
The memorandum, signed by former DCC chief Harinder Pal Singh Mann among others, said issues like education, primary health and employment were the least priority of the government.
“We strongly believe that the Congress party will find it very hard to win the ensuing elections under the leadership of Chief Minister
Amarinder Singh. A new leader with a clean image will still be able to steer the party out of troubled waters,” the memorandum said.
The supporters of Mr Brar charged the Chief Minister and “his coterie” with not making reference to Congress President Sonia Gandhi during public meetings.
They alleged that Capt Amarinder Singh was “at the height of vindictiveness towards fellow Congressmen who have the guts to genuinely differ from his views and attitudes.” The supporters of Mr Brar expressed apprehension that the policies followed by the Chief Minister had “potential to revive militancy in the state.”
Among those who met the AICC leaders today were Tara Singh Sandhu, Mr Kulbir Singh, Mr Ripjit Singh Brar, Mr Manjit Singh Jalbhuti and Mr Vijay Sathi.
Following wrangling in public by some Punjab Congress leaders over the issue of land transfer to RIL, the Congress high command had pulled them up and told them not to air their grievances publicly. However, Mr Brar’s supporters today launched a fresh offensive against the Chief Minister.
