Partap Singh Bajwa admits internal differences, not to run away

Friday, 20/02/2015

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=125207&boxid=58099&uid=&dat=2015-02-20

Chandigarh : Amid rising clamour for his removal from the post of Punjab Congress president, the beleaguered Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday toughened his stand cautioning his adversaries that he was not among those who would run away from the field.

Admitting that there were internal differences within the state unit, he told a press conference here that these would be resolved soon.

On voices of discontent against him, including from former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and most of the sitting MLAs, Bajwa, who badly lost the last Lok Sabha polls from Gurdaspur at the hands of BJP’s Vinod Khanna, said, “I am a fighter. I will not run away (leave PPCC chief post)...If there is some reason (behind discontentment) I am ready to resolve it. Nobody can force me to run away from the field.”

Meanwhile, he sought deployment of Central forces in the state for the February 22 and 25 civic body polls.

“The Election Commission (EC) must deploy central forces in the state,” Bajwa, who submitted the demand before the state EC, said. Elections to the six municipal corporations and 122 municipal council and nagar panchayats in Punjab are to be held on February 22 and 25.

Bajwa said that the party would soon expel some 60 rebels contesting the civic body polls in the state. He rejected assertion that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a force to reckon in the state. “AAP had lost the recent by-polls at Talwandi Sabo and Patiala badly,” he said. He said Congress will contest the Dhuri Assembly by-poll in alliance with Sanjha Morcha, including Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP).

RAHUL COMING NEXT MONTH
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is slated to visit Punjab next month, Bajwa said here on Thursday. Rahul will address a rally at Moga on March 29.

“I have met him (Rahul) and he has assured me to visit Punjab,” Bajwa said.

Bajwa said that March 29 being a Sunday, so the Congress will utilise services of buses of educational institutions for ferrying people. Congress in Punjab is plagued with severe infighting with a group led by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and several sitting MLAs seeking ouster of Bajwa from the post of head of PPCC. Besides, the party is out of power in the state for over seven years and during the last general elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) showed its presence in the state by winning four Lok Sabha seats.