The “necessity” of accommodating the left out MlAs has virtually turned the Congress top brass innovative with the leadership exploring ingenious ways of keeping them happy.
The party’s top leaders put their heads together on Sunday in an apparent attempt to reach a consensus on handing over the ‘power baton’ to them for putting to an end the widespread feeling of resentment prevailing in the party’s state unit after the recently-concluded cabinet expansion exercise.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s selection of nine new faces for his Council of Ministers has left many aspirants for ministerial berths sulking. While many among them are openly expressing their resentment, including three MlAs who tendered their resignations from all party posts in protest, there are many other hopefuls who are protesting in silence.
Sensing trouble within the state party unit, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar, state party affairs in-charge Asha Kumari, co in-charge Harish Chaudhary on Sunday held a meeting with the ministers and senior party leaders to calm down the tense atmosphere prevailing within the party.
The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Ministers — Navjot Sidhu, Tript Rajinder Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary, besides MlA Raj Kumar Verka — who was expected to find a place in Capt Amarinder’s team — among others.
Sources informed The Pioneer that the voice of dissent is growing within the party, post Cabinet expansion, and the issue of three party MlAs — Nathu Ram, Surjit Singh Dhiman and Sangat Singh Gilzian — resigning from party posts, along with that of few MlAs expressing dissatisfaction was discussed in detail during the meeting.
Even as most of the leaders described the meeting as “nothing significant”, it has been learnt that all the party leaders maintained that the exercise to appoint chairmen of boards and corporations should be expedited to nip the dissent in the bud.
“This was nothing but a just a formal meeting,” said Verka while adding that he was not upset for being left out.
“Already, the party leaders have been complaining that they have no say in the government despite having their own party in power. Complaints have been received that officials in police and administration still listen more to the Akalis, and not the Congress. Moreover, they have also expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s slow pace in fulfilling the pre-poll promises as it would make it difficult for them to seek votes ahead 2019 lok Sabha polls,” a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, told The Pioneer.
The leader maintained that expansion added to their woes as they felt totally “ignored”. “The issue of resignations and resentment was the main topic of discussion in the meeting and the state leadership is chalking out the ways to contain the situation, and mollify the disgruntled leaders,” added the leader.
At the same time, Jakhar denied the reports of factionalism within the party against Capt Amarinder. “The MlAs are protesting but there is no feeling of resentment within the party…We have 77 MlAs and 18 berths to fill in the Cabinet. But, every effort will be made to adjust all the legislators giving them various responsibilities in the government,” he said.
The party leadership has decided to placate the situation by appointing the ‘left out’ legislators as chairmen of various boards and corporations of the state government, besides the market committees. Besides, Chief Minister has already made clear his intent to appoint a few MlAs as ‘legislative Assistants’ to prepare them as future ministers.
Only a day before, Capt Amarinder had asserted that Punjab has 7,000 jobs, ranging from the Market Committees to the Planning Boards, that can be given to party workers.