After poll euphoria in Punjab, daggers out in Congress

Chandigarh, June 19

After the euphoria over the Congress winning seven of the 13 seats in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, daggers are out in the state unit against PPCC Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring over poor performance of the party in the Malwa region, especially the performance in Bathinda.

Focus was only on Ludhiana seat

Earlier, the Congress used to lose by 20,000 votes when the SAD and the BJP were in alliance. After SAD parted ways with the BJP, Harsimart Kaur Badal has won by 50,000 votes. It needs to be probed who in the Congress has helped the Akalis. The party’s concentration was on Ludhiana, affecting the Malwa region. Ajit Singh Mofar, former MLA

Pointing towards dismal performance of the party in the Mansa, Barnala, Moga, Faridkot, Mansa and other Assembly segments, where the party has come third or fourth in the LS poll, party leaders are seeking fixing of accountability of the top leadership for ignoring the Malwa region.

Stressing the need for brainstorming, former MLA Ajit Singh Mofar said accountability should be fixed for the defeat on Bathinda and Faridkot parliament seats. “Earlier, the Congress used to lose by 20,000 votes when the SAD and the BJP were in alliance. After SAD parted ways with the BJP, Harsimart Kaur Badal has won by 50,000 votes. It needs to be probed who in the Congress has helped the Akalis. The party’s concentration was on Ludhiana, affecting Malwa,” said Mofar.

Party leaders said after Warring was given ticket from Ludhiana instead of Bathinda, the prospects of the party were badly hit on the Faridkot and Bathinda seats. Earlier, Warring had contested from the Bathinda seat. Amrita Singh, wife of Warring, was a frontrunner for the Bathinda seat before name of Jeet Mohinder Sidhu was finalised for the Bathinda seat. In Gidderbaha Assembly segment, the family bastion of Warring, the Congress came third.

Former minister and working president of the PPCC Bharat Bhushan Ashu said with the BJP making inroads into the urban areas and the Congress vote share dipping to 26 per cent compared to 40 per cent in the 2019 parliament polls, there was need to brainstorm ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections before it was too late.

Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh has said that the Congress had won in 38 Assembly segments and that was not enough if we are hoping to form government in 2027. He stressed the need for introspection.