AICC forms panel on Punjab revolt
Wednesday, 08/01/2014
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=91466&boxid=62010&uid=&dat=2014-01-08
Chandigarh : The brewing resentment in Punjab Congress has finally forced the party high command to intervene, but not before it boiled over with a spate of resignations by party legislators and senior leaders from the reconstituted Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), headed by Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa, whom his detractors had labelled as ‘arrogant’ and running the PPCC as ‘Partap Singh Bajwa Pvt Ltd Company.’
In a belated damage-control exercise, which also hinted at changes in the jumbo PPCC, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary In charge of party affairs in Punjab Shakeel Ahmad ordered the formation of a four-member committee, headed by Jalandhar MP and special invitee to Congress Working Committee (CWC) Mohinder Singh Kaypee.
The panel, comprising former minister Laal Singh, AICC secretary K L Sharma and Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress president Malti Thapar, was asked to submit its report to the AICC within one month.
The development assumes significance as three of the four panel members — Kaypee, Singh and Thapar — who are from Punjab, were conspicuous by their absence at the maiden meeting of the recast PPCC, which had unanimously endorsed Bajwa’s leadership in the absence of several senior leaders, in Chandigarh on Monday. Both Kaypee and Singh were among 34 executive committee members and permanent invitees of new PPCC. Miffed at ‘poor representation’ to women in the new PPCC, Thapar had accused the party high command of ‘fooling women’ after promising them 33 per cent reservation in ticket allotment.
In an office note, a copy of which is with Daily Post, Ahmad said the committee will look into the grievances, which will be submitted to it and in consultation with the senior leaders of Punjab, will suggest ways and means to address these issues within one month, to the AICC.
“Soon after the announcement of the list of new office-bearers and members of executive committee of PPCC, some voices of concern and discontent were raised in the media by different leaders of the party. To look into this matter and to address the grievances of Congress leaders of the state, AICC has constituted a four-member committee, headed by Kaypee...,” said AICC general secretary in the office note.
