Exploring options for alliance: Bajwa

Sunday, 07/04/2013

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130407/punjab.htm#6

Ludhiana : Calling for unity and discipline in the state Congress, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa today said the party would launch a state-wide campaign against illegal mining next month.

Addressing a party workers' conference here, Bajwa said the party was exploring the possibility of forming an alliance with secular parties in the state.

He told the party workers to gear up for the panchayat, zila parishad and parliamentary elections.

Bajwa said toll-free helplines for party workers would be launched after two months in Malwa and Doaba.

Talking to The Tribune, Bajwa alleged: "The state government has failed on all fronts". Accusing the SAD of shielding the sand mafia, he claimed the Akali Dal had failed to fulfill its poll promises. "None of the poll promises on Shagun scheme, old-age pension, widow pension and unemployment allowance has been fulfilled. Instead, the facility of free education to girl students has been withdrawn," he added.

Taking a dig at "corporate culture" in the SAD, he said there were days when the Akali Dal used to hold its "chintan shivir" at the Samundri Hall in Amritsar. Now, the party leaders were flying to Goa for the same, he said.

Questioning the financial viability of the Ludhiana metro project, he charged Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal with making "false promises" with the people of Ludhiana.

The issue of the party unity figured prominently in the conference, with the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari saying: "No party had the power to defeat the Congress. Only the Congress can defeat itself". Exhorting the party workers to rise above their personal interests, he said the workers were the core strength of the party.

Others present included MP Sukhdev Singh Libra, PPCC vice-president Charanjit Singh Channi, former minister Tej Parkash Singh and MLAs Rakesh Pandey, Surinder Dawar and Gurkirat Singh Kotli.

MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu did not attend the conference, pointing towards fissures in the district Congress. He later met Bajwa at the Circuit House along with some councillors and supporters.

Though Bajwa denied any rift within the district unit, DCC Ludhiana (Urban) president Pawan Dewan said: "As per the instructions of the high command, all party leaders and workers were supposed to attend it".

Channi loses wallet
PPCC vice-president Charanjit Singh Channi lost his wallet during the conference. Announcing this from the stage, he said he had come to the conference carrying a substantial amount in his wallet thinking that Ludhiana was a city of the well-offs!

Space crunch
Party leaders and workers were seen jostling for space. Senior leaders, including Tewari and Bajwa, had to repeatedly request the "eager audience" to stay calm

Bajwa's instructions
The PPCC president told the party workers to restrict their slogans to the party, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. "Don't raise any slogans to eulogise other party leaders," he told them.