Rift between Punjab Congress MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Rana Gurjeet Singh out in open

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, March 15

Ahead of the Lok Sabha poll, two Congress MLAs from Kapurthala are in for a major confrontation again.

Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira has reportedly written to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh had been politically helping AAP for his vested business interests.

Allegations

• Rana helping AAP in lieu of getting licence for ethanol plant, Khaira writes to Kharge
• Terming the allegations baseless, Rana says his business has nothing to do with politics

It is learnt that Khaira has mentioned that Rana had obtained ethanol licence from the AAP government in December 2022 to run a

Rs 300 crore project at Buttar village in Amritsar.

Khaira has reportedly attached an RTI copy to prove his point. The licence is learnt to be for a Rs 300 crore project from where only government-owned companies, including IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum will purchase ethanol.

Sources say Khaira has even written that in lieu of this favour, he had been politically helping CM Bhagwant Mann. Khaira has reportedly said Rana, as part of conspiracy, had helped AAP during the Jalandhar LS bypoll last year and made his aide and former Congress MLA Sushil Rinku join AAP. He has alleged that Rana had also made his nephew Rana Hardeep Singh join AAP in Shahkot.

Khaira has alleged that the favour for Rana came at a time when other Congress leaders, including OP Soni, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Sadhu Singh Dharmsot, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Kushaldeep Dhillon were facing action.

Seeking remedial action against “corporate leaders like Rana”, Khaira has also reportedly alleged that while Bhagwant Mann is taking action against all Congress leaders, Rana has been given a licence to run an ethanol plant.

Khaira pointed out that Rana had helped his son Rana Inder Singh contest as an Independent against Congress candidate Navtej Cheema in 2022, but no disciplinary action was taken against him.

Rana Gurjeet has termed these allegations baseless. “I do not have one ethanol plant in Punjab, but two. I have one already in Haryana and another is coming up there soon. I have a fifth plant coming up in Madhya Pradesh. My business has nothing to do with politics.”

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