Tript Bajwa firefights rebellion in Batala

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Batala, February 12

Specks of rebellion have surfaced in the Congress days before voting in the civic body poll, forcing Cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa to initiate a fire-fighting exercise.

This development has the potential to play havoc with his well-laid-out plans to propel his ‘Man Friday’ Sukhdeep Singh Teja to the mayoral post. The turf war being played out between the minister, who is the MLA of the adjoining Fatehgarh Churian seat, and three-time former MLA Ashwani Sekhri ahead of the polls has become the talking point among cadre.

Bajwa appears to have won round one by bagging a lion’s share of ticket for his loyalists, leaving Sekhri fuming.

Several party men who were denied the nomination are playing spoilsport by contesting as Independents. “My opponents had created a situation where the cadre felt repressed. And it is repression that provokes rebellion. Nevertheless, I will nip dissent in the bud,” remarked Bajwa.

The stakes are high for the minister. He will have to ensure the rebellion is crushed sooner than later if he has to see Teja in the mayor’s chair. “Bajwa is both the king and kingmaker. I will pull out of the race if he asks me to do so,” said an Independent candidate. Similar sentiments were expressed by some other dissidents.

Right now, Harinder Kalsi, a two-time councillor and former vice-president of the MC, is turning out to be the minister’s Achilles heel. He is contesting as an Independent from ward No. 34. Likewise, the Congress faces a revolt in at least 11 more wards.