Bajwa, Brar say Jasjit Randhawa got a ‘raw deal’, leave Preneet red-faced
Monday, 02/03/2015
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GHANAUR (PATIALA): The verbal attack by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa and former Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar on Sunday left Preneet Kaur, Congress legislator and wife of Captain Amarinder Singh, red-faced, as both pointed out that the Congress had given a ‘raw deal’ to late Jasjit Singh Randhawa in 2012 assembly elections.
Both Bajwa and Brar were speaking at the bhog ceremony of Randhawa, who died after a brief illness in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Former Congress minister Jasjit Singh Randhawa was a two-time MLA from Ghanaur assembly constituency in Patiala district. In the 2012 assembly elections, he lost to Akali candidate NK Sharma from the Dera Bassi seat.
Former Union rural development minister Birender Singh, former railways minister Pawan Bansal, PPCC vice-president Lal Singh, Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur, nearly 20 Congress sitting and former MLAs, Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi and senior politicians cutting across party lines were present at the event. Former deputy speaker Bir Devinder read out party president Sonia Gandhi’s message.
DAUGHTER DECLARED POLITICAL HEIR
During the gathering, the area residents declared Randhawa’s daughter Anu as his political heir, and Bajwa said Congress ‘won’t ignore’ the sentiments of public in coming elections. It was Jagmeet Brar, who first launched the attack as he, without naming anyone, said: “It was sad that despite being popular, some persons with vested and personal interests had forced Randhawa to shift to Dera Bassi, Mohali, from Ghanaur.”
“It was a raw deal to such a senior leader, who was connected with public. The shifting to a new constituency was in a bitter taste but my friend accepted it with large heartedness,” said Brar, leaving Preneet red-faced, who was also present on the occasion.
Preneet in a bid to give ticket to her protégé Madan Lal Jalalpur, had forced Randhawa to contest from Dera Bassi. Similarly, she opted for her son Raninder Singh to contest from Samana, ignoring brother-in-law Raja Malwinder Singh, who later joined the Akalis before 2012 elections.
At Dera Bassi, then Congress leader Deepinder Singh contested election as an independent leading to defeat of Randhawa.
After Brar, Bajwa publicly announced that he admitted the Congress had not given a fair deal to Randhawa in the 2012 elections. “But, as the PPCC president, I announce that the Congress will support Anu Randhawa in her future endeavour,” he said and asked Anu to meet area residents and live up to their expectations.
In her address, Preneet termed Randhawa as a noble soul and honest leader, who was known for his simplicity. Congress leader Lal Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Ajaib Singh Mukhmialpur, AAP leader and Patiala MP Dharvira Gandhi also paid tributes to the soul.
