The civil war brewing amongst the Punjab Congress and its leaders is slowly reaching a crescendo. The three-member panel set up by the Congress high command, to listen to the grievances of dissident MLAs and ministers, has provided rather demoralizing insights. Apparently, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh government and its failures to fulfill poll promises has sparked widespread rebellion among the party ranks.
With only eight months left for the assembly elections, the widening fissures can give and enterprising opportunity to BJP to fashion a comeback. According to an India Today report, the panel is expected to suggest creation of two posts of Deputy Chief Ministers to placate the dissident Dalit MLAs and the camp led by Captain’s opponents.
While the crusade was initially led by Navjot Singh Sidhu, other party leaders in Pargat Singh, Surjeet Dhiman, Randeep Singh have started throwing their weight behind the ‘Boot out CM Captain’ campaign. The Gandhi clan is seemingly losing confidence in Amarinder and it appears that no clear decision has been taken regarding using Captain as the face for the upcoming elections.
Reported by TFI, the tension between Amarinder and Sidhu escalated in April when the former challenged the ex-cricketer to fight against him on any party ticket.
“I don’t know where he (Sidhu) will go or which party he will join. Akali Dal is upset with him and BJP won’t accept him… so most likely AAP. If he wants to contest against me from Patiala he will meet the same fate as General JJ Singh, who lost his security deposits,” Amarinder had said in an interview.
Sidhu did not reply straight away but posted a series of cryptic yet colourful tweets which were certainly targeted at Amarinder Singh. “Efforts to derail Punjab’s conscience will fail… My soul is Punjab and Punjab’s soul is Guru Granth Sahibji… Our fight is for justice and punishing the guilty… an Assembly seat is not worth (discussing) in the same breath!!” Sidhu tweeted.
Efforts to derail Punjab’s conscience will fail … My Soul is Punjab and Punjab’s Soul is Guru Granth Sahib Ji … Our fight is for Justice & punishing the guilty, an assembly seat is not even worth discussion in the same breathe !!
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 27, 2021
आप ना इधर-उधर की बात करें बताएँ ? – की गुरु साहेब की बेअदबी का इंसाफ़ क्यों न मिला …
नेतृत्व पे सवाल है ?
मंशा पे बवाल है !!— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 27, 2021
Recently, Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh alleged that he was threatened by Capt Sandeep Sandhu, political secretary to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for raising the sacrilege case. According to Pargat he received a message from the political secretary of CM Amarinder Singh to be ready for police action for raising voice against the CM.
“Being a former captain of the Indian hockey team, I was shocked on receiving such a threatening message. But if speaking truth on sacrilege and police firing cases was not acceptable to them, let them do whatever they want,’’ the MLA told the media at a press conference.
Last year, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu had locked horns with Amarinder and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, asking them to start working towards fulfilling the party’s pre-poll promises. He challenged Badal to prove he is an effective minister, and that his parent party Akali Dal’s accusation that he is a “failed minister” is baseless.
Read More: Congress MLAs rebel against their most powerful CM. Amarinder Singh govt in trouble in Punjab
Congress party has become a headless chicken with the party high-command that includes the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi sitting far across in their posh Lutyens Zone bungalow, away from the chaos of Punjab Congress. CM Amarinder Singh has failed to arrest the slide as new factions continue to emerge every alternate day. Meanwhile, BJP is salivating at the prospect of gaining entry into Punjab after being benched for 5-long years.