Days after the Congress tumbled to a humiliating loss in the Punjab assembly polls, internal dissension in the party unit is back out in the open.
Former Punjab Congress unit chief Sunil Jakhar tore into outgoing chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday. During the much-anticipated meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Sunday to review the recent debacle, Channi's appointment was defended. Channi was described as being an “asset” for the party.
Jakhar tweeted “An asset - r u joking ? Thank God he wasn’t declared a ‘National Treasure' at CWC by the 'Pbi' lady who proposed him as CM in first place May be an asset for her but for the party he has been only a liability. Not the top brass,but his own greed pulled him and the party down.”
Jakhar attached a screenshot of a report that claimed the Enforcement Directorate had seized Rs 10 crore from Channi's nephew.
In the run-up to the polls, multiple reports said Jakhar was unhappy. Jakhar relinquished his post as Punjab Congress chief in July last year as Navjot Singh Sidhu took over. Jakhar played a relatively low-key role in the recent elections.
Weeks before polling, Jakhar had claimed he was not made chief minister despite having support of the most number of MLAs.
It is unclear who Jakhar was referring to with the use of the term “Pbi lady”. There had been speculation senior Congress leader Ambika Soni had opposed Jakhar's name being proposed for post of chief minister last year.
Jakhar spoke about his tweet to ANI. He alleged there was sycophancy at the CWC meeting on Sunday. “Report suggests certain leaders who've been Rajya Sabha MPs for 30 years, claim to be Punjab's voice in CWC are hoodwinking party high command,” he told ANI.
He alleged these sycophants had recommended Channi's name. “Instead of acknowledging it, they are trying to put it on Rahul Gandhi. People of Punjab wanted change,but the person who was projected was caught with his hand in the til. Remedy was worse than disease,” Jakhar told ANI.
“Congress workers want someone whom they can believe in. A Punjabi leader sitting in CWC is trying to project him as a national treasure. He may be a treasure for her but not for Congress. The next 5 years will be challenging for Punjab and party,” declared Jakhar.
Others join in
Balbir Singh Sidhu, who was health minister in the Amarinder Singh government, on Sunday claimed it was a mistake to have not made Jakhar chief minister after Amarinder resigned.
On March 11, outgoing deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa lashed out at Sidhu and Jakhar for their utterances against Channi.
“When there was no discipline in the party, what will the Congress workers feel. They used to ask what had happened to these two leaders (Sidhu and Jakhar). When all this was happening—Sidhu criticising chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi or refusing the speak at a rally in Dhuri (in presence of Priyanka Gandhi)—it was the height of indiscipline and Rahulji and high command should have immediately taken action and shown him the door. Sidhu has not been in Congress for even five years. He has not adopted the Congress culture and insulted the party worker,” Randhawa was quoted as saying by The Times of India.