Opposition from PCC leaders delays ‘ghar wapsi’ of ex-party men

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, October 13

Stiff opposition from different quarters within the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) and differences among senior party leaders today delayed the return of the former Congress leaders who had joined the BJP last year. The formal joining fizzled out as the leaders, who had landed in Delhi today, were clearly asked to join at Chandigarh.

Firmly against re-entry, Some offer to resign

• At least 12 party leaders, including some former MLAs, are learnt to have conveyed strong displeasure and offered their resignation to Warring if the former leaders were taken back into the fold
• “Leaders were of the opinion that by bringing back tainted leaders would dent the party’s image and give ammunition to CM Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government,” said a Malwa leader who threatened to resign

PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, who were also called to Delhi, did not respond to repeated calls. It is learnt that on seeing the resentment among the party leaders, the party high command has told the state unit leaders to iron out their differences with those objecting before going ahead with the joining.

Bajwa was facilitating the ‘ghar wapsi’ (home coming) of former Congress leaders, who joined the BJP last year. Among the leaders who landed in Delhi were former ministers Raj Kumar Verka, Sunder Sham Arora, Gurpreet Kangar, Balbir Sidhu, Hans Raj Josan, besides Amrik Singh Dhillon and Dr Mohinder Rinwa. While Verka, Arora, Kangar and Sidhu had joined the BJP, Dr Rinwa and Josan had joined the SAD. Former CM Charanjeet Singh Channi said it was a big embarrassment for Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar.

Sources said there were objections to the re-joining of Sunder Sham Arora and Akali leader Jeet Mohinder Sidhu.

At least 12 party leaders, including some former MLAs, are learnt to have conveyed their strong displeasure and offered their resignation to Warring on the issue. “The leaders were of the opinion that bringing back tainted leaders would dent image of the party and give ammunition to CM Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government,” said one of the leaders from Malwa who threatened to resign.

“It is a piquant situation. Some leaders have left the BJP but are yet to join the Congress,” pointed out a leader. While Arora denied he was returning to the Congress, Dr Verka announced earlier in the day that he was going to New Delhi to re-join the Congress. Scheduled to meet AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venuopal at 3.30 pm, the these leaders were called to his office at 7.30 pm, only to be asked to join in Chandigarh.