Amarinder’s aides plan show of strength in Patiala - Bajwa, Bhattal, Mohindra not invited to luncheon meeting
Saturday, 10/01/2015
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/politics/amarinder-s-aides-plan-show-of-strength-in-patiala/28376.html
Patiala : The Congress faction led by Capt Amarinder Singh plans another show of strength in Patiala on Sunday, say sources. It has invited sitting and former MLAs owing allegiance to Amarinder Singh for lunch at his New Moti Bagh Palace. Several senior leaders are expected to be there.
Back from his Dubai trip, Amarinder Singh has invited his party associates to his palace “to chalk out a strategy in the wake of the recent political developments, including the drug issue and the upcoming visit of BJP president Amit Shah.” Pradesh Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, Brahm Mohindra and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal have not been invited to the luncheon meeting.
When contacted, Bhattal said: “Such meetings are common. Since Amarinder Singh is hosting lunch for his aides, there is nothing much to read into it.”
A senior party MLA said as the luncheon meeting had been called to discuss political issues “personally important to Amarinder Singh and his associates,” there was no need for everyone to be invited. Such show of strength does not augur well for the party and only serves to fuel factionalism,” he observed.
Another senior Congress leader said he would attend the meeting as he believed it was not an exercise in one- upmanship.
In August 2014 too when Amarinder Singh had hosted a lunch, he had not invited Bajwa, Bhattal and Mohindra. Efforts to contact Amarinder Singh and his wife Preneet Kaur, Patiala MLA, proved futile.
