Remark on Punjab 'CM face' was misread, clarifies Harish Rawat

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

In an apparent course correction, Punjab affairs in charge Harish Rawat has sought to clarify his recent “Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh leading the party’s poll campaign” remark, saying PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was the overall in charge of the elections.

Pargat targets state affairs in charge

• PCC gen secy (organisation) Pargat Singh said Sidhu’s remark that he would give “befitting reply if not given the freedom to decide” was apparently aimed at Harish Rawat, not party high command
• He said when MP Mallikarjun Kharge had stated next polls would be fought under party chief Sonia Gandhi and leader Rahul Gandhi, why did Rawat say polls would be fought under the CM

“The PCC chief is the overall controller of the election. The CM is the person who is running the government and gives accounts of the implementation of the policies and decisions. These are the basic things in elections. I have left it to the people to interpret my previous statement as they want,” he said.

While Rawat’s initial statement had attracted adverse reactions from the Sidhu camp and dissident leaders, the pro-CM camp had welcomed the statement followed by a show of strength of MLAs at a dinner hosted by minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi.

This comes as PCC general secretary (organisation) Pargat Singh, while reacting to Rawat playing down Sidhu’s remark that he “will give befitting reply if not given the freedom to decide”, said it was apparently aimed at the Punjab affairs in charge, not the party high command. Sidhu had made the remarks at a function of traders in Amritsar recently, after Rawat had stated the 2022 Assembly elections would be fought under the leadership of Captain Amarinder.

The Jalandhar Cantt MLA and Sidhu confidant told The Tribune: “When Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge, who headed the three-member panel looking into to Congress crisis, had stated the next elections would be fought under party president Sonia Gandhi and leader Rahul Gandhi, only Rawat could tell why he made the statement of next elections being fought under the CM.”

After being cornered within the party over his remarks, Sidhu had released a full video of the Amritsar event, while trying to clear the air over his remark. On Sidhu’s remarks, Rawat after meeting Rahul had said “everyone had their own style of speaking and all state leaders were polite”. Sources said Sidhu was miffed at Rawat over the statement regarding the 2022 election, as it has its own implications on the tussle between the two warring factions in the state.

Sources in the PCC said after the change of guard in the state unit, the smooth transition of relevant data related to party leaders and detailed field information had not been shared by those “managing the show” previously. Absence of detailed data and information was hampering the functioning and the matter was likely to be taken up in the coming days with the persons concerned in the government.

“Though the ministers have started sitting at Punjab Congress Bhawan and forming the 10-member strategic policy group, on the ground coordination is still missing,” said a senior party leader.

All eyes are now on Rawat’s upcoming visit to Chandigarh, ahead of the one-day special Assembly session.