To oppose Kejri’s arrest or not, state Congress in dilemma

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, March 24

As the INDIA bloc has announced a mega rally on March 31 to “protect the democracy” after the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Congress leaders are in a dilemma over attacking AAP.

Being the principal opposition party in the state and going solo in the coming parliamentary elections, the state unit had been preparing its political strategy against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and the Bhagwant Mann-led state government.

Refraining from attacking AAP, PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, speaking on the lines of the party’s approach, said, “We are against vendetta politics, no matter it happens in Punjab or at the national level. Using investigating agencies like the CBI, ED and Vigilance Bureau as a tool to target opposition leaders will only weaken our democratic process.” Only a few days ago, Warring had hit out at AAP for vendetta politics

“Against the national narrative of the INDIA bloc, state Congress leaders have opposed any alliance with AAP in the state. The party’s claim of honest governance is out in the open. We had an apprehension that skeletons would tumble out from their cupboard. That has happened,” said a senior PPCC leader, who had opposed the alliance at the state level.

It is wait-and-watch policy for the Congress as leaders are trying to decode the dramatic arrest of Kejriwal. “Is it timed to allow sympathy vote for AAP to bring down the Congress or to bring down AAP? Time will clear the air,” feel the state leaders.

Since the arrest of Keriwal, no top leader of the Punjab Congress has issued any statement against AAP. “We are in a dilemma what to say. We are watching the approach by the party high command and will decide accordingly in the coming days. But the party worker sentiments are against AAP in the state,” said a senior leader.

For exception, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu, who had initially favoured an alliance with AAP, has targeted Kejriwal, stating, “Kejriwal and the party rose to power promising Swaraj and Jan Lokpal, but, ironically, they have turned out to be biggest thugs. This corruption case in Delhi is just a tip of the iceberg. Money looted by Chadha is yet to be recovered.”

In wait & watch mode

We are in a dilemma what to say. We are watching the approach of the party high command and will decide accordingly in the coming days. But sentiment is against AAP in the state. — A senior leader