Punjab poll 2022: Final push, Cong leaders close ranks

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, February 17

Facing heat from the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress high command has stepped up efforts to rein in senior party leaders who have been keeping away from campaigning for party candidates in these crucial elections.

Senior party leaders KC Venugopal, All-India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) Ajay Maken and other senior leaders, have been camping in Chandigarh to monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis. In the past few days, party leaders have closed ranks to work unitedly after being pulled up by the party high command.

Sending out a stern warning to “trouble-makers”, senior Congress leader Kewal Dhillon has been expelled from the party for “anti-party” activities, said Harish Chaudhary, Punjab affairs incharge. Manish Bansal, son of party leader Pawan Bansal, was allotted the party ticket in place of Dhillon.

Indicative of mobilisation, Chief Minister Charanjit Channi campaigned in the Amritsar East constituency represented by Pradesh Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu today to send out a message of unity ahead of polls. On Friday, Sidhu is expected to campaign in Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur from where CM Channi is contesting. Three leaders — Channi, Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar — will be brought together on stage, reflecting a united front.

Jakhar has been campaigning in Balluana, Mansa, Hoshiarpur, Dhuri, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana and Rampur Phul. “The last two to three days are crucial for campaign to counter the narrative of other parties. We have stepped up our presence on social media platforms,” said Gokul Butail, joint secretary, All India Congress Committee, and incharge of the party’s election control room for Punjab.

Sources said another example of leaders closing the ranks is in the Majha region. MP Partap Bajwa, who is contesting from Qadian, is campaigning in neighbouring constituencies. Similar quid pro quo has been witnessed among Tript Bajwa, Sukjinder Randhawa and Partap Bajwa in the past few days.

Channi canvasses for Navjot Sidhu in Amritsar

• CM Charanjit Singh Channi and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu held a roadshow in Amritsar East, from where Sidhu is contesting
• The move is seen as an attempt to project a united face. Channi even rescheduled his programme to reach Sidhu’s constituency
• Meanwhile, a group of migrant workers staged a protest near the roadshow route against the CM over his controversial remarks