In a sign of factionalism within the Punjab unit of the Congress intensifying, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, before leaving for Delhi on Thursday, made two rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmakers, along with the former Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Khaira, join the Congress.
The move — right in the middle of an exercise to quell dissidence in Punjab and ahead of the Chief Minister’s meeting with a three-member panel of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) — is being seen as assertion of authority by Captain Singh.
The Chief Minister’s detractors have been pressing for a leadership change ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
While former Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had already met the AICC panel on Tuesday, former heads of Punjab Congress Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo are among those openly seeking a leadership change.
Mr. Sidhu went to the extent of accusing the Amarinder Singh government of “being in league with the Badal family of the Shiromani Akali Dal.”
For the past four days, a panel comprising Mallikarjun Kharge, Harish Rawat and J.P Aggarwal is meeting Punjab MLAs in Delhi to ascertain their views.
The party’s top leadership wants an amicable solution to the Punjab crisis by accommodating different sections but wants to have a ‘counter balance’ to the powerful Chief Minister.
Sources said most MLAs were keen to ensure that Mr. Sidhu doesn’t leave the Congress but “were not yet ready to hand over the steering wheel to him.”
Though several MLAs reportedly cited Captain Singh’s inaccessibility, it is learnt that not many could name replacements who could match his stature.
Amid the internal power tussle, Captain Singh made a not-so-subtle show of strength by roping in AAP rebel MLAs Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh Dhaula along with Mr. Khaira to his camp.
Mr. Khaira, who had won from the Bholath constituency in 2017 Assembly elections on the AAP ticket after leaving the Congress, was awaiting the AICC nod for re-entry. He had severed links with the AAP in 2019 and floated the Punjab Ekta Party.
“By inducting Mr. Khaira without waiting for the AICC nod, Captain Singh has signalled the high command. If they are thinking of a change of guard, they will also have to weigh in the possibility of a split in Punjab,” a loyalist of the Chief Minister said.
Officially, the party played down the reports of infighting and factionalism.
“The ongoing Punjab discussion is not a crisis management exercise but an election preparation exercise where suggestions are being taken to ensure the Congress’ victory in 2022 and youth workers should get maximum opportunity,” Jaiveer Shergill, AICC spokesperson and a member from Punjab, told reporters after meeting the panel.
