After unity pitch, knives out in Congress over Manpreet

Friday, 18/12/2015

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AFTER BITTU OPPOSES ALLIANCE WITH PPP, AMARINDER TELLS HIM HE CAN’T COMMENT ON PARTY’S POLICY MATTERS, SAYS ONLY SONIA, RAHUL CAN TAKE DECISION ON ALLIANCES

CHANDIGARH: After a show of unity at the Bathinda rally on Tuesday, knives are out again in the faction-ridden Punjab Congress over “Badal” surname. Ludhiana MP and campaign committee convener Ravneet Bittu who had indirectly opposed inclusion of “anyone with Badal surname” in party fold during his speech at the ‘Badlav’ rally in Bathinda, has openly stated that he is opposed to alliance with Manpreet Badalled People’s Party of Punjab.

But it has ruffled the feathers of newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, who launched a counter-attack on Bittu while addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan on Thursday. “It’s not Bittu’s job to comment on policy matters of the party. His job is to call a meeting of the campaign committee when he is asked to do so by its chairman Ambika Soni. The decision on allies/alliances is taken by party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi,” Amarinder said.

While Amarinder’s keenness to have Manpreet on board is part of a plan to stitch a grand alliance to take on ruling SADBJP combine and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the reasons for Bittu’s uneasiness are not difficult to fathom. Part of Rahul’s youth brigade, he is a contender for next line of leadership in the party. A tie-up with Manpreet --- a Jat Sikh face with oratory skills --- can upset equations for the second-rung Congress leaders like him.

At the Bathinda rally, Bittu has said people have started hating the word “Badal” now and the Congress should only ally with parties such as the BSP and CPI and not with those with Badal surname. A day later, he had told a section of media in Ludhiana that he was referring to Manpreet, the estranged nephew of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. “I have got feedback from Congress leaders and workers of Malwa region that the party should avoid an alliance with the PPP and hence I conveyed my feelings at the Badlav rally,” he said.

Even the truce between Amarinder and his predecessor Partap Singh Bajwa witnessed at the rally seemed to be showing signs of discord as the former on Thursday also announced to revoke expulsion of all Congress workers and leaders who were expelled from the party for various reasons in the recent past.

“This is the time to take everybody along to unite and strengthen the party. Each and every Congress worker and leader is important for us and we are taking all of them back into the party fold,” he added. Notably, Ludhiana former district Congress president Pawan Dewan and few other leaders were expelled for “anti-party” activities by Bajwa.

Bittu could not be contacted for his comments.