Punjab Congress leaders in huddle ahead of key meeting

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, March 26

Ahead of a likely meeting of the Congress legislature party in the coming days to pick the Leader of Opposition, a group of 25 party leaders met over a luncheon meeting at the residence of former MLA Navtej Cheema in Sultanpur Lodhi on Saturday.

The meeting was aimed at creating a pressure group in favour of Sukhpal Khaira as the Leader of Opposition and Navjot Sidhu once again as the PCC chief.

Besides Khaira, the only party MLA to join the meeting was BS Dhaliwal from Phagwara. Even as the meeting was held in Doaba, from where the party sent nine MLAs to the Assembly, seven abstained.

Prominent among those who stayed away were Sidhu’s aides Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt) and Bawa Henry (Jalandhar North).

Those present included former minister MS Kaypee, ex-MLAs Rakesh Pandey, Ashwani Sekhri, Sunil Dutti, Davinder Singh Gubhaya, Sukhwinder Danny, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Pirmal Singh and Rupinder Ruby.

The leaders said they felt a clean and vocal Opposition was required to take on the AAP government on various issues, for which Khaira could be the best option as the LoP within the Assembly and Sidhu outside it as the PCC chief.

“A meeting of some-like minded, honest and upfront party leaders was held a few days ago wherein eight leaders were present,” said Danny.