Bansal, Chhabra responsible for Cong’s downfall in city: Kainth

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 14

Former Deputy Mayor and councillor Satish Kainth, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the Congress, had blamed former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal and Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee (CTCC) president Pardeep Chhabra for the downfall of the Congress in the city.

Kainth levelled these allegations in a letter written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi on January 22. After writing the letter to the Congress High Command, he had joined the BJP on January 22 evening.

Harish Chaudhary, secretary, All-India Congress Committee, and in-charge of Chandigarh affairs, said he is yet to receive any such letter from the Party High Command.

Councillor Satish Kainth, while confirming the development, said the Congress had suffered a setback in the city because of wrong decisions taken by Bansal, his family members and Chhabra.

He had also requested Sonia Gandhi to inquire the situation in the city by sending some observer, he said.

Kainth’s letter to Sonia Gandhi reads: “The Congress was having strong hold in Chandigarh. But after the railgate scam, the condition of the party deteriorated. All important decisions are taken by Pawan Kumar Bansal’s wife and his son, the main reason behind the downfall of the Congress in the city”.

Kainth had also raised the infamous booth scam that had rocked the Parliament as well, in his letter. The letter states that Bansal and Chhabra were also part of the booth scam. Kainth further writes: “I lost Senior Deputy Mayor’s elections due to the party’s internal politics”.

Pardeep Chhabra, CTCC President, refused to comment on this issue.

Former CTCC president BB Behl said Kainth was a loyal Congress worker and there must be some solid reasons that forced him to leave the party.