At a time when the Congress high command was making hectic efforts to control the strong political storm brewing within the Punjab party unit, the reports of its senior partyman Ashwani Sekhri abandoning the ship forced the state leadership to immediately swing into action. And it was only after the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, and state party affairs’ in-charge Harish Rawat personally talked to the former minister and three-time legislator that a statement was released late in the evening to claim that Sekhri was hanging on to the party ship amidst speculations of his joining the SAD.
The Chief Minister’s official statement, released by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), claimed that senior party leader and former minister Sekhri “will stay in Congress and there was no question of his leaving the party”.
Sekhri, the Congress’ Hindu face in Majha area, had been the Tourism Minister in Capt Amarinder’s Government in 2002.
In what could have been a major embarrassment for the Congress party in Punjab and also for the party high command, there were reports that Sekhri was all set to give up “hand” to hold the “scales” on Monday. However, after frantic efforts by the Chief Minister, Sekhri, it seems, has decided to stay within the party.
Capt Amarinder deputed his most trusted lieutenant, Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka, to persuade Sekhri by personally meeting him. Also, the Chief Minister himself talked to the former MLA, while Rawat also assured Sekhri of resolving all his issues.
The development came three days after Sekhri met the Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, and indicated that all issues affecting the state party unit would be resolved soon.
Notably, about a month ago, Sekhri went all out against his own party’s government for handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the State.
Sekhri, holding a press conference, had lashed out at the Chief Minister, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and all Ministers for “going missing” when the State was hit by the contagion. Questioning the way his party’s State Government handled the COVID-19 crisis, he had alleged that the Chief Minister didn’t visit a single hospital, while the Ministers disappeared.
“On the parameter of collective responsibility, the entire government has failed in public eyes. The state saw 4,000 deaths in four months but some Congressmen are busy in an internal feud,” he had stated while suggesting to hold a legislature party meeting to take the MLAs’ opinions and while asking Jakhar to call a meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee to restore the confidence of the party workers and explain to the Punjabis.
Also heading the Confederation of Colleges and Schools of Punjab, Sekhri was also at collision course with the State Government over the issue of post-matric scholarship.
ALL RUMOURS OF SEKHRI LEAVING PARTY BASELESS: CAPT
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday claimed that all rumours about the senior party leader and former Minister Ashwani Sekhri leaving the party were “baseless”.
“Sekhri will stay in Congress and there is no question of his leaving the party,” said the Chief Minister adding that he spoke to Sekhri on Sunday and assured him that all his concerns will be addressed.
He said that Sekhri was a dyed in wool Congressman who had spent his whole life with the party.
Capt Amarinder disclosed that Sekhri strongly denied the reports circulated in a section of media that he was leaving the party and joining some other party.
Sekhri assured the Chief Minister that he was a committed and dedicated Congressman, who can never ever imagine of leaving the party.
The Chief Minister also cleared all his apprehensions and assured him that he was a very senior leader of the party who had contributed a lot towards it. “It is the party's duty and responsibility to watch and safeguard the interests of all senior leaders,” Capt Amarinder added.