Rumblings in Cong again as Punjab leaders meet Baghel in Delhi

Simmering discontent in the Congress once again came to the fore as a section of senior leaders met the party’s Punjab affairs incharge Bhupesh Baghel in New Delhi with a “complaint” against their state chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

According to sources, they also aired their grouse against the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly — Partap Singh Bajwa — during the meeting held on Thursday.

However, Warring downplayed suggestions of a rift between him and the leaders. He said the senior leaders met Baghel “not against him, but to strengthen the party”.

The development has come days after Baghel held discussions with top state leaders to iron out differences among them. The interaction, held prior to the recently concluded Punjab Budget session, had witnessed heated arguments.

Earlier, Baghel had put to rest speculation of a change of guard in the Punjab Congress after senior party leader Rana Gurjeet Singh called Warring a “selfish leader” and expressed willingness to lead the state unit.

A source said the leaders who met Baghel included Punjab Congress vice-presidents Pargat Singh, Khushaldeep Dhillon, Inderbir Bolaria and working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu. Former Chief Minister Charanjit Channi and former state minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa were also part of the group.

Notice to vice-president

Sources privy to the development said the meeting was triggered primarily due to a show-cause notice issued to former Faridkot MLA and state party vice-president Dhillon for an alleged breach of discipline by airing issues during an interview to a news channel.

The leaders told Baghel that the notice was unwarranted as Dhillon had said nothing against the party, a source said.

They also complained that they were not being involved in the decision-making by the state’s top leadership, the source added.

While Pargat Singh is learnt to have aired a grouse against Bajwa, Ashu said he wasn’t supported by top state leaders when he was subjected to a “political vendetta at the hands of the Aam Aadmi Party government”.

Ashu, who is the party’s candidate for the Ludhiana (West) Assembly bypoll, is facing corruption charges in a foodgrain transportation case.

Dhillon did not respond to phone calls made to seek a response over the issue.

Warring, however, termed the issue of the show-cause notice “an internal party matter”.