Jalandhar: Discontent within Congress brews up in meetings

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, May 20

Even as there are just 10 days remaining for the candidates to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, some rumblings are still continuing within the Congress that can harm the prospects of party candidates.

Members flag issues

As the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee was in Jalandhar for a meeting to review the party position on all 13 seats on Monday, some members are learnt to have flagged the problems that they have been still facing on these seats.

As the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee was in Jalandhar for a meeting to review the party position on all 13 seats today, some members are learnt to have flagged the problems that they have been still facing on these seats. Since almost all members of the committee are those who have been contenders to the tickets, simmering discontent showed even today when they all met.

Former MLA Sham Churasi Pawan Adia is learnt to still sore over a lot of efforts being made for raising the pitch level of candidate Yamini Gomar in Hoshiarpur. Though he as well his wife had been aggressively campaigning for Gomar in Sham Churasi area, he is learnt to continue to keep the grudge of being ignored at the time of her selection.

He and ex-MLA Jandiala Sukhwinder Danny, both of whom are Valmik leaders, are also learnt to be still upset over the fact that the party has not fielded any candidate from the community on four reserved seats in Punjab. The BJP, on the contrary, has given two Valmik candidates – Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot and Gejja Ram Valmiki from Fatehgarh Sahib.

Adia is also learnt to have flagged the issue before Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, who was in Jalandhar yesterday to hold a review meeting of Jalandhar, Khadoor Sahib, Anandpur Sahib and Hoshiarpur seats.

Some Congress MLAs had also flagged an issue that they were unhappy with the way Jalandhar Congress candidate Charanjit Channi was also taking along rebels from each segment for his events and rallies. In Adampur, Channi is learnt to be pally with former MLA Kanwaljit Lally, who is not in good terms with the candidate’s close aide and sitting MLA Sukhwinder Kotli. This has reportedly fumed Kotli who is learnt to have taken up the matter with the senior party leadership that was in Jalandhar yesterday, including AICC special observer Harish Chaudhary, in-charge Punjab Affairs Devender Yadav, LoP Partap Bajwa and PCC general secretary Capt Sandeep Sandhu.

Adia, Danny and Kotli have, however, told The Tribune that all was well and that they have no issues at all.

“The old issues have been long buried. We are heading towards the finishing of campaign and we are giving our best for the party at this juncture,” said Adia and Danny.

Danny said: “Now I am the co-incharge of the campaign committee. My focus is completely on ensuring that all our 13 candidates win. Rather, we have been asking them about the issues they have been facing so that we can be of help to them”.

Campaign in-charge Rana KP Singh said: “We are following the theme “back to the workers” so that we are able to use our workforce to reach out to the last person in every village in the next 10 days. We are working on to get programmes from Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge in the next few days for campaign in Punjab”.

Independent candidate holds roadshow

Jalandhar: A roadshow was held in favour of Amritpal Singh, independent candidate from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, in Kapurthala on Monday. It was organised by his supporters in Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi. Amritpal’s father Tarsem said he would win with a lead, breaking the record of 1989. He said Amritpal had no competition with any other party. Amritpal’s supporters also arranged a langar offering sweet water on the stretch from Kapurthala to Sultanpur. — TNS