Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Punjab, factionalism comes to the fore in Congress

Aman Sood &

Surinder Bhardwaj

Tribune Reporters

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 10

As Rahul Gandhi landed on the soil of Punjab for his nine-day ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, factionalism came to the fore in the Congress today.

Rahul to Meet industrialists today

Rahul Gandhi will pay obeisance at the historical Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib early Wednesday morning and then proceed to Khanna. His meeting has been scheduled with industrialists of Asia’s biggest steel town Mandi Gobindgarh.

Accompanied by PPCC president Raja Warring and Partap Singh Bajwa, Rahul was received by senior Congress leaders led by Pawan Bansal, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Dr Amar Singh, Kuljit Singh Nagra and Shamsher Singh Dullo.

After interacting with the top Congress leadership for a few minutes, he entered his vanity container and asked the leaders to join him in the morning.

Earlier, district president Gurpreet Singh GP, who is looking after the arrangements at Fatehgarh Sahib, had an argument with former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, who was accompanied by his brother Dr Manohar Singh.

As Manohar had contested against GP as an independent candidate from Bassi Pathana, GP blamed Channi for his loss in the recent Vidhan Sabha poll. GP humiliated him and urged Channi “not to allow Manohar Singh accompany him to the venue where Rahul is staying”.

GP later told The Tribune that both brothers were responsible for his debacle and he couldn’t forget this. “I cannot forgive them as they were responsible for the Congress loss in Bassi Pathana,” he said.

Meanwhile, former PPCC chief Dullo, who had recently met jailed former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, said it was difficult that the Congress might pose a united face.

Earlier, the PPCC made elaborate arrangements for the stay of the leaders and those accompanying Rahul in the yatra. A caterer was engaged to serve refreshments and snacks for them. A lavish dinner was also served for the VIP guests. Stay arrangements were made in waterproof tents at the grain market, Sirhind. Approximately, 500 mattresses and blankets were arranged for them.

The security arrangements of five vanity containers in which Rahul, Jai Ram Ramesh and other leaders are staying have been made by the Punjab Police. ADGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla, along with a battery of senior officers, is camping at the site. Meanwhile, hundreds of supporters at Shambhu were left dejected after Rahul suddenly changed his plan and instead landed at the Amritsar airport after concluding the Haryana leg of the march in Ambala. Gandhi maintained distance from the media. Senior leaders said the interaction with Rahul would happen only in Jalandhar.