Punjab Congress leaders, it seems, are obsessed with the idea of showing their strength. Be it run up to Dhuri Assembly bypoll, or impending April 19 Kisan rally, both the State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh are going all out to to outsmart each other. Congress Deputy leader in the lok Sabha Capt Amarinder has been opposing almost everything which Bajwa says after he took over the party reigns from him.
Both the leaders have been at loggerheads with each other over the issues ranging from CBI probe in the multi-crore drug case, party’s rally to counter BJP national president Amit Shah’s anti-drug rally, appointing election in-charge for Dhuri by-elections, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s elevation, and now party’s national-level Kisan, Khet Mazdoor Rally in Delhi on April 19.
Since long, Capt Amarinder has been demanding Bajwa’s removal from the PPC chief’s position. His demand has found the support from more than 35 MlAs out of total 43, besides several senior leaders, including former MlAs, Ministers, among others.
Amarinder has been leading the “oust Bajwa campaign”, more strongly, after the party faced series of defeats under his leadership, coupled with his failure to secure even his own seat — Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency — during 2014 lok Sabha polls.
Now to ensure that he succeeds in proving his superiority over his rival colleague, Capt Amarinder has held a series of meetings with the State party leaders, sitting and former legislators and also the office bearers of the Jat Maha Sabha in the national capital. He has insisted the party leaders, MlAs, former MlAs, and Jat Maha Sabha members to ensure people’s participation in huge numbers for the Kisan rally on Sunday. The Capt Amarinder camp is expecting to gather around 36,000 people — double than what the Bajwa camp is predicting.
Moreover, the leaders hailing from Capt Amarinder’s camp have been asking the supporters to wear a saffron turban which would help them to stand out of the huge crowd. On the other hand, Bajwa’s camp has, so far, not issued any such advisory. Young Gandhi scion, Rahul, who has returned after two-month long sabbatical, would also attend the meeting. Interestingly, Capt Amarinder has recently raised his voice against handing over the party leadership to Rahul while Bajwa has strongly supported the same.
Ahead of the rally, Rahul Gandhi would meet the farmers from all states on Saturday. From Punjab, a delegation of PPCC’s Kisan Khet Mazdoor Cell, led by its president Inderjit Singh Zira, would meet him in New Delhi. Rahul Gandhi will hold discussions with the delegation about the problems of farmers in Punjab particularly after the amendments in land Acquisition Bill. Delegation will also apprise Rahul Gandhi about the increasing suicides by the farmers, falling of water table in the state, non availability of urea and the insensitivity of the government towards the issues relating to the farmers.