Day after release of DCC list, dissent brews in state Cong

A day after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) released the list of 27 new District Congress Committee (DCC) chiefs under the party’s Sangthan Srijan Abhiyan, dissent is brewing within the Punjab Congress.Sources said the leaders were waiting for the Tarn Taran bypoll result before planning their next move. The development has happened when the party is preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections.

The DCC list has not found favour with various factions in the state unit, with many leaders expressing their annoyance with the party’s high command over different parameters being ignored in the choice of the candidates. The disgruntled leaders said most of those on the list owed their allegiance to the PPCC chief.

A senior leader, privy to the development, said recommendations of the CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and other senior leaders had been ignored in the selection in some cases.

“What is the purpose of the recommendations of the independent observers when non-deserving candidates have made it to the DCC list,” said a former MLA.

PPCC chief Amrinder Raja Warring said he had no role in the selection. It had been prepared on the basis of the feedback from the AICC-appointed observers. He rubbished allegations of his critics.

Claiming that the selection was fair, general secretary in charge, Punjab affairs Bhuphesh Baghel, said the DCC had been appointed on the basis of the recommendations of the independent observers. The PPCC leaders had no role in it, he said.

At least five Hindus, five OBCs and nine Dalit faces were expected in the DDC list. Instead, 11 Jats, two OBCs and five SCs are among the new faces. “The caste quota was changed to adjust the favourites,” said a disgruntled leader. Countering the allegation, a senior leader said the selection was a dynamic process and went into merits of the candidates.

Analysing the list, party leaders pointed out that there was over-representation of Jats, with 11 making to the final list at the cost of the OBCs and Dalits – who had been left inadequately represented. A senior Dalit leader said the caste balance had been badly disturbed. The yardstick of sticking to 55 years of age and having spent at least five years in the party had been breached in some cases.