Punjab Congress Disciplinary Committee has decided to give another chance to the “rebel” party leader Sukhwinder Singh Danny to explain why he had filed his nominations against the party’s official candidate from Faridkot during the recently held lok Sabha elections. Giving 10 days time to respond, the Committee has, one another time, sent a show cause notice to the party’s senior leader Danny, who unsuccessfully contested 2009 lok Sabha elections, asking him to explain why he should not be “suspended” from the party’s membership.
Even as Danny was made to “withdraw” his name from the contest, he was issued notice by the party’s State disciplinary committee for his act. Danny lost to Akali candidate Paramjit Kaur Gulshan in 2009 polls by 62,042 votes, and was considered to be the frontrunner for the party ticket. Not finding his answer “satisfactory”, the five-member Committee has decided to put him on notice once again, setting 10-day deadline to respond.
Notably, Danny had filed his nomination papers as a candidate of “Indian National Congress”, creating confusion of sorts, after the Congress party has declared the name of sitting Kotkapura MlA Joginder Singh Panjgrain as its “official” candidate from Faridkot and who had already filed his papers.
Unhappy over party’s decision to deny him another chance, he went on to file his papers as Congress candidate claiming that party high command has directed him. He had also asked the State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa to reconsider the entire situation and withdraw Panjgrain’s candidature considering charges of drug smuggling against him. He had also made statements against Bajwa.
The decision came during the Committee’s meeting held on Friday to discuss the complaints against senior party leaders and legislators for not campaigning for the party candidates during the just-concluded parliamentary polls, or for working against the party.
It was expected that the Committee may act against Danny, and several MlAs —including Kapurthala MlA Rana Gurjit Singh, Khadoor Sahib MlA Ramanjeet Singh Sikki, Barnala MlA Kewal Singh Dhillon, Mahal Kalan MlA Harchand Kaur, Bhadaur MlA Mohd Sadique - who either did not campaigned for the party candidates of their constituency while canvassing for other seats, or who did not campaigned at all.
Repeatedly, the party high command had asked the MlAs to remain present in their respective constituencies and support the local candidate; otherwise those refusing to go along with the decision would have to face music.
As the Committee, headed by former legislator and senior advocate Gopal Krishan Chatrath, has declared its verdict regarding Danny, it could not be confirmed whether the decision regarding these “erring” legislators was given or put on hold for the time being.
The Committee members include former Deputy Speaker of Punjab Assembly Jaswant Singh, former MlA Bhag Singh, former MlA Gulkanwal Kaur, and Punjab Youth Congress’s former president Rana Varinder Singh as its member.
Preparing beforehand, the Committee has also asked the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) to furnish all details related to the party leaders or workers who indulged in anti-party activities.
Besides, the Committee has also passed a resolution deciding that strict action would be taken against any person, irrespective of standing and position in the party, for working against the party.
The Committee is in the process of finding the “erring” party leaders by means of its own sources, or via media who worked against the party during elections, and remained out of their constituency.