Congress leaders write against Pradeep Chhabra

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

In a fresh trouble for the city Congress, around 25 Congress executive members and councillors have signed a letter being sent to party in-charge Harish Rawat against their previous chief and former Mayor Pradeep Chhabra.

The letter is reportedly being signed at the behest of a “senior Chandigarh Congress leader.” In the letter, the issue of “indiscipline” by the ex-party president has been raised.

“By now, 25 executive members and councillors have signed this letter. The letter, at present, is with current party president Subhash Chawla and may be sent to the in-charge today or tomorrow,” said a leader who signed the letter.

Sources said it has been stated in the letter that Chhabra has floated his own forum, Chandigarh Progressive Front. He has allegedly been involved in anti-party activities.

It has been further alleged the three-time Congress councillor has been posting anti-party posts on the social media through his close associates. He has also been speaking against party leaders in the media.

When contacted, Chhabra said: “Yes, I have also come to know about this letter. Some of those who signed or did not sign the letter admitted this with me. The copy has alleged indiscipline by me as a reason to sack me from the party.”

“It is unfortunate that after spending 35 years in the party starting from the NSUI, Youth Congress and the Chandigarh Pradesh Congress, such steps are being taken against me. I had floated a non-political forum only to raise people’s voice as I was not being invited to the party meetings.”

However, the incumbent party president Chawla denied any such development happened in the party. “No such letter signed by the party men has been prepared and also there is no plan to remove him from the party as being rumoured around,” he told Chandigarh Tribune.

Since the time Chhabra was replaced with Chawla in February, things have not been smooth between the two. Ahead of the MC elections this year-end, the infighting between the top leaders may dent the party’s poll prospects, which has only five councillors in the 26-elected councillors’ House of the MC.

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