A day after Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh shared the same dais but refused to even shake hands during a rally in Sangrur, AICC general secretary in-charge of State party affairs Shakeel Ahmed on Friday stressed that the party “stands united”, at the same time, agreeing that there were “misconceptions” within.
Shakeel Ahmad also made it clear that he would be taking up the issue with senior party leaders to resolve the “communication gaps”, if any, among the cadre. “The party’s rank and file is very much united…There is some communication gap between some leaders, and it is my duty to sort it out. If there is any, I would sit with the senior leaders to resolve the issue,” Shakeel Ahmad told The Pioneer.
Refusing the allegations of “divided” Congress and formation of two power centres within the party, Ahmed said that there “are misconceptions…misunderstandings among few individuals and their followers. But, there is nothing of that sort. The party stand united”. Notably, the State Congress unit is fighting a battle with its own men before the grand electoral war in 2014. Both Gurdaspur MP Bajwa and Congress Working Committee member Capt Amarinder are silently training their guns against each other at a time when the crucial parliamentary polls are less than a year away.
In the recent past after Capt Amarinder’s elevation as the CWC’s permanent invitee, the battle between the two for one-upmanship and political superiority has turned all the more severe with both coming out in open war of words during Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s Sangrur rally, a day before.
During the rally, the cold war between Capt Amarinder and Bajwa manifested as both the leaders openly took pot shots at each other. The two senior leaders, throughout the entire functions, neither talked to each other nor exchanged greetings. But, did not forget to take jibes over one another.
Maintaining that such things “normally happens” during big rallies, Shakeel Ahmad refused to accept that the two leaders were in open verbal battle during the event. “There is nothing like that. There were thousands of people, many leaders might not have met others. And forgetting taking names of the leaders is quite normal. It normally happens. It could happen with even the proficient speakers also,” he defended. He also cited his lack of understanding of Punjabi language to comprehend the pot shots taken by the two over one another.
Time and again, Shakeel Ahmad had been urging the party cadre to “stop infighting”, and work unitedly for party in run up to lok Sabha elections. He, in fact, asked all the state party leaders “to work unitedly and aggressively under Bajwa’s leadership”, though repeatedly denying the allegations of party being a ‘divided house’. It has also been learnt that party high command had given directions to all Congress leaders to support Bajwa.
Back in action after a lull, Capt Amarinder has recently questioned Bajwa’s authority to announce the candidates for the impending lok Sabha polls. Maharaja also flexed his muscles by indulging in lunch diplomacy inviting sitting and former MlAs, district presidents and Youth Congress and NSUI leaders for a luncheon meeting at his Chandigarh residence.
If that was not enough, Capt Amarinder had also announced to tour the entire state in September - at a time when his successor Bajwa is already carrying out his ‘mass contact programme’, but was asked to lay off by the High Command denying parallel rallies in the state.
“Capt Amarinder is a mature leader and he knew what to do when. He has been the Chief Minister and even the PPCC president. He a senior party leader of the state and his role would be vital for the party ahead lok Sabha elections,” said the party affairs in-charge, while refusing to confirm whether the party high command is planning to give ‘Patiala Royal’ more responsibility in the state party unit ahead of the crucial 2014 polls, by asking him to remain active in state politics.
At one fell swoop, Shakeel Ahmad also appreciated Bajwa’s efforts for the party. “Bajwa is working for the party and traveling across the State galvanizing party cadre.” Not learning lessons from its past mistakes that cost the party back-to-back defeats in five consecutive elections, Punjab Congress is marred by factionalism and dissension among the party cadre as the party leadership is divided.
Besides Capt Amarinder, Bajwa’s differences with the leader of Congress legislative Party Sunil Jakhar -a Capt Amarinder loyalist - is also a known fact. Already, voices of dissidence against Bajwa are being heard loud and clear. Only recently, party’s sitting MlA had raised a banner of revolt against Bajwa and has openly called for handing over the party reins to Capt Amarinder.