Check indiscipline in party before it’s too late: Randhawa

Gurdaspur Lok Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Thursday said indiscipline in the party should be handled with a firm hand at the right time, lest the situation should go out of control.

“On the pretext of internal democracy, some leaders think that they are bigger than the party. One has to act tough against those creating indiscipline,” said Randhawa seeking a tough action against “troublemakers”.

The statement have come following a row stirred by remarks made by Congress leader Rana Gurjeet Singh, who recently launched a no-holds-barred attack against state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring in an interview to a news channel.

Gurjeet had called Warring a “selfish leader” and held him and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa responsible for the denial of party ticket from Anandpur Sahib in the Lok Sabha poll last year.

He had also expressed the desire to become the state Congress chief if the party high command wished so.

Gurjeet’s outburst had come amid impending reshuffle in the state party unit after the Congress appointed former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhaghel as the All-India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Punjab.

Following the statement, Warring on Monday had warned his party leaders against breaking discipline and indulging in factionalism to gain higher positions if they want to stay clear of strict action against them.

‘Several contenders for state Cong chief’s post’

Putting his weight behind Warring, Randhawa said all party leaders should respect him as he was appointed the state unit president by the top Congress leadership.

“No one can become the state unit president by speaking against the party,” he said without taking the name of any leader.

On those in the race for the post of the state Congress chief, Randhawa said currently there are eight to nine contenders for the position.