After Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar asked Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to review the decision to give government jobs to the sons of two Congress MLAs while opposing the move, one more party MLA Pargat Singh joined the chorus of the party leaders against the decision on Sunday.
Besides Jakhar, three Congress MLAs — Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Harjot Kamal — have criticized their own party’s government over the move. Also, five Ministers — Charanjeet Singh Channi, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and Razia Sultana — had reportedly opposed the decision.
Pargat Singh, an MLA representing Jalandhar Cantt and a vocal critic of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, said that such decisions could affect the Congress Government’s perception a year before assembly elections.
“I don’t know on what parameters the sons of MLAs have been chosen for the jobs. Clearly, they have not been chosen on compassionate grounds. I'm surprised what kind of perception we want to create. I thank the five ministers who spoke up. Despite the opposition of five ministers, the Chief Minister is siding with these two MLAs. If this is not horse-trading what else is it? The message is clear, where the Chief Minister is willing, he will do what he wants, even if five ministers oppose it,” he said.