Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday denied deferment of any meeting with Congress MPs, including Partap Singh Bajwa, saying that no such meeting was scheduled in the first place.
The Chief Minister rubbished reports that he had postponed a meeting of MPs scheduled for Monday, thus depriving Bajwa a forum to air his so-called grievances.
There was no question of planning such a meeting on Monday as the Himachal Pradesh campaign programme for the day had already been finalised by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), said Capt Amarinder, dubbing the reports as speculative and baseless.
Capt Amarinder said that while party MPs, including Bajwa, were welcome to meet him any time, it was not his domain to convene any meeting to set their agenda ahead of Parliamentary session. That was the prerogative of the party leaders, he added.
“It was only from the media that I have read and heard about Bajwa’s so-called grievances,” said Capt Amarinder, adding that the MP himself had not once approached him with any complaint on any count.
It appeared, therefore, that the reports of Bajwa’s alleged grievances were unsubstantiated and, on the face of it, seemed to be the creation of media imagination, said the Chief Minister.
Every Congress member had the right to air his or her grievances in the party forum, and Bajwa was also free to take up any issue troubling him with the Congress leadership, the Chief Minister added.
Capt Amarinder reiterated that he had no clue about the reasons for Bajwa’s perceived unhappiness with the state government, as had been reported by a section of the media.
In a large party like the Congress, one could not rule out some discontent on some issues here or there but the same could easily be resolved through intra-party dialogue and discussion, said Capt Amarinder, adding that if any MP, MlA or worker had any reason to feel disgruntled, they should not hesitate to raise it within the party forum.
Bajwa, past week, had raised a banner of revolt against his own government for not acting against SAD leader Bikram Majithia. He went all out to express his unhappiness with the Congress Government in Punjab while, at the same time, expressing his helplessness to do anything in the matter.
Claiming that he had already sent his resignation to the Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Bajwa had stated that he would raise the issue with the Chief Minister on November 6 to ask him why the government has not proceeded against the Akali leaders including Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Majithia, Tota Singh and Aadesh Pratap Singh Kairon they have been accusing before polls.
Bajwa’s discontentment came a few days after the Chief Minister maintained that there was “no evidence” to take action against Majithia though he believes SAD leader could be involved in a drug case.
Expressing surprise over Bajwa’s behaviour, the CM said: “There had been no problems between the state government and any of the party leaders or MlAs.”
Despite repeated attempts, Bajwa could not be contacted.