Punjab Cong block chiefs get notices for skipping ‘save Constitution’ events

The Punjab Congress has issued show-cause notices to its several block presidents, who skipped participation in the party’s “save the Constitution” events on November 26.

The events were held as part of the party’s nationwide campaign, for which the Congress had decided to observe the Constitution Day as Samvidhan Bachao Divas.

According to sources, many of the block presidents put on notice owe allegiance to the party faction including former CM and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Channi and Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

On November 26, Channi had held an akhand path bhog ceremony on the birthday of his 33-year-old son and many senior party leaders, including state Congress chief Amrinder Raja Warring, Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhjinder Randhawa, had attended it.

The presence of a battery of senior leaders at the akhand path bhog was interpreted in political circles as Channi’s attempt to assert his stake in the faction-ridden Congress ahead of the impending organisational overhaul.

The party action comes ahead of the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab on December 14.

The notices have been issued to block presidents in Moga, Amritsar (Urban), Tarn Taran, Ludhiana (Urban) and Ropar. The block presidents have been asked to explain their absence from the party events.