M A I N   N E W S

Dissidents back in Capital
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 26
A section of Punjab Congress dissidents led by state Agriculture Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal returned to the Capital today in a renewed bid to press the party high command for a leadership change.

The visit assumes significance as Congress President Sonia Gandhi had asked the dissidents to return to the state and assured them that a decision on their demand for the removal of Capt Amarinder Singh as Chief Minister would be taken up after Parliament’s winter session which ended on December 23.

Ms Gandhi is leaving for Maharashtra tomorrow, after which she is slated to go on vacation.

Although the dissident camp termed the visit as part of the legal consultation by Ms Bhattal for her upcoming case, sources indicated that the dissident leaders conveyed their dismay over the delay in the decision by the party central leadership to senior party leaders.

Party general secretary in charge of the state Mohsina Kidwai said neither had she invited the dissidents forfurther discussions nor had they met her today. AICC panel member Ahmed Patel also maintained that he had not met the dissidents.

There seems to be little peace amongst the Punjab Congress leaders as the dissidents have been openly demanding the removal of the Chief Minister although the “Maharaja of Patiala” has taken several conciliatory steps to change his style of functioning.

Dissidents to adopt non-cooperation
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
Members of the Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) owing allegiance to the dissident group have not only empowered Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to represent them before Congress President Sonia Gandhi but also decided to start a non-cooperation movement against the state leadership.

Dissidents, sources reveal, have decided to boycott official and public functions where Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is present.

“There has been no let up or softening in our stance. We are committed to our stand and are waiting for the party President to give her decision,” they said.

“We have decided to resort to the Gandhian way of peaceful agitation in support of our demand for change in the leadership of the CLP,” said a senior member of the dissidents.

“Though we have authorised Mrs Bhattal to talk to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the All-India Congress Committee leadership to find immediate solution to the deepening crisis in the Punjab Congress Legislature Party, we have also decided to stay united on our demand for change of leadership in the CLP.

“The party high command must not delay a decision as general election is not far off. We have a tough challenge on our hands as under the present state leadership,the party will face a complete rout in the state. We have been trying to impress upon the party President that without a new CLP leader, it would be tough for the Congress to repeat its 1999 performance in this border state," he said.

Dissidents have been continuing with their breakfast and dinner meetings. Though most dissident ministers have started attending office at the Civil Secretariat here, they have been staying away from public and official functions attended by the Chief Minister.

No dissident was present at the Shaheedi Jor Mela political conference held at Fatehgarh Sahib yesterday. Even when the Chief Minister went to Punjab Congress Bhavan last evening, none of the dissidents was present there.

Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang and Dr Romesh Dutt Sharma were among those who attended office on Friday morning.

"We have no information about the Council of Ministers' meeting on December 30.

We will decide our line of action only when we get official intimation about the meeting," said Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, before, accompanied by her core group members, she left for the capital.

She also expressed ignorance about any proposal by the party high command, offering deputy chief ministership to anyone from among the dissidents.

After a dinner meeting at the residence of Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, the MLA from Samrala, the dissidents held a breakfast meeting at the residence of Mrs Bhattal today.

They denied they had taken a decision on boycotting the Council of Ministers' meeting.