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Cong gives in to disgruntled leaders
Sets up grievance committee under Jalandhar MP Kaypee
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Bowing to pressure by disgruntled leaders unhappy with the reconstituted Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), the party high command today set up a four-member grievance committee to address concerns voiced by senior leaders and workers.

The panel will be headed by Jalandhar Lok Sabha MP and Congress Working Committee’s special invitee Mohinder Singh Kaypee. Among the members will be senior leader Lal Singh, AICC secretary KL Sharma and Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress chief Malti Thapar. The Congress leadership has asked the committee to look into all grievances and submit a report to the AICC within a month.

“This committee will look into grievances and in consultation with senior leaders suggest the ways and means to address the issues,” Shakeel Ahmed, AICC general secretary in charge of party’s affairs in Punjab, stated in a communiqué to Punjab PCC president Partap Singh Bajwa.

Top sources in the Congress said a seven-member disciplinary committee for the PPCC would be announced tomorrow to ensure that workers aired their grievances at the party forum alone. “Anyone doing otherwise will be dealt with by the disciplinary panel,” AICC sources said.

Ahmed said: “We have formed a grievance committee and hope all senior leaders will engage with the committee and give suggestions on ways to improve the PCC. We hope none will talk about his/her concerns openly. The committee will report back to us in a month.” Three of the four members on this panel are disgruntled leaders Kaypee, Lal Singh and Malti Thapar. While Kaypee is cross with PPCC president Bajwa for appointing Jalandhar Rural and Urban district Congress presidents without consulting him, Lal Singh has been upset over lack of say in the appointments for Patiala where MoS External Affairs and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur has had a key role.

Malti Thapar had slammed the PCC list which comprises just eight women among more than 100 office- bearers. Senior Punjab leaders said the grievance panel would not inspire confidence among the disgruntled leaders who would have liked the AICC general secretary to address the rebellion.

“The grievance panel appears meaningless. The high command should have directly held talks with the leaders concerned and acted,” said a leader.

PPCC List Row

Three of the four members on the grievance panel are unhappy with the PPCC appointments

Mohinder Singh Kaypee is cross with PPCC chief Partap Bajwa for appointing Jalandhar Rural and Urban district Cong presidents without consulting him

Lal Singh is upset over lack of say in appointments for Patiala where Patiala MP Preneet Kaur has played a key role

Another PPCC member quits

Amritsar: Alleging favouritism in the new PPCC list, senior party leader Tarsem Singh aka DC on Tuesday resigned from the party post. Tarsem Singh alleged that the present state party leadership was constantly ignoring him