Chandigarh: Despite Congress’ efforts to de-escalate tension in Punjab, the situation intensified again on Monday after party MLA and Punjab Congress’ General Secretary Pargat Singh, questioned Harish Singh Rawat over his statement that next year’s assembly polls would be fought under Captain Amarinder Singh’s leadership.
Questioning Rawat, Pargat Singh, who is known for his closeness with Navjot Singh Sidhu, said that the Punjab elections would be fought under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul. “Harish Rawat should tell when it was decided that the poll will be fought under Captain Amarinder Singh’s leadership,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Last week, Rawat, who is party’s in charge of the state, had said that Captain Amarinder will be Congress’ Chief Ministerial candidate for the Punjab elections. His statement came amid calls to remove Captain Amarinder from his position.
Though Rawat has been facing a backlash over his statement, he on Monday clarified that the party has several faces in Punjab at the local level, including Captain Amarinder, Sidhu and Pargat Singh. “We’ve many national faces including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi,” Rawat said, “one should not be impatient. I know when and what I need to say”.
Sidhu and Captain Amarinder have been loggerheads with each other for quite some time and have even attacked each other publicly. However, the grand old party had claimed last month that the crisis has been resolved after Sidhu was made Punjab Congress chief.
However, Sidhu and Captain Amarinder once again found each other at the loggerhead last week after the former’s advisors posted some controversial comments on Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
Assembly elections would be held in Punjab in February or March next year.
Bureau Report
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