The crisis within the Punjab Congress continues as Punjab Congress’ General Secretary and MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment Pargat Singh had questioned Harish Rawat’s statements backing CM Captain Amarinder Singh. Singh questioned and sought clarification on state political affairs in-charge Rawat’s statement as to when had the Congress decided to contest the Assembly polls under CM Amarinder.
Terming Rawat as a seasoned politician, Pargat Singh claimed that his statements had impacted Punjab’s politics adversely, a report in The Indian Express said.
Earlier, Rawat had said that the upcoming elections in Punjab in 2022 will be fought under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh, after meeting four state ministers seeking the “ouster” of the CM in Dehradun over unfulfilled poll promises.
Pargat Singh was appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) general secretary by Navjot Singh Sidhu on August 16. A close aide of Sidhu, Singh has been a vocal critic of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the functioning of the state government.
The report said that Pargat Singh asked Rawat to explain when was the decision taken, as the committee formed earlier under Mallikarjun Kharge, had decided that the upcoming polls would be held under the command of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Singh said that CM Amarinder was a mature and undisputed leader of the party, but added that the promises made during the last assembly polls were not fulfilled.
“There is no question of groupism in here, but I feel sad that such a strong leader like Captain Amarinder Singh has not been able to fulfill poll promises for the past four-and-a-half-years,” he reportedly said.
Harish Rawat responded to the statement and said that one should not get impatient. “We’ve many national faces including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. At local level also, we’ve several faces like Captain Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and even Pargat Singh himself. One should not be impatient. I know when and what I need to say,” the Punjab Congress in-charge said.
Pargat Singh further said that questions are being raised over the fulfillment of promises made by CM Amarinder in the last four-and-half-years of Congress’ rule. The CM, he said, has not lived up top the expectations of the people.
When the MLA was asked about new Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ‘eye for an eye’ comment, Pargat said that the comment seemed to be directed towards Harish Rawat, since Sidhu has great respect for Sonia ji, Rahul ji and Priyanka Gandhi.
Sidhu on Friday had urged the party leadership to allow him the freedom to take decisions and warned of a befitting reply if the demands were not heard. His comments came hours after Malvinder Singh Mali quit his position as advisor to Sidhu.
In the past, Pargat Singh has questioned his party’s government over several issues including the alleged delay in justice in cases of desecration of a religious text and the subsequent police firing in Faridkot in 2015.
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