Congress party’s trusted soldier is apparently not seeing eye-to-eye with the party generals. Difference in opinion appears to have cropped up between Capt Amarinder Singh and the party high command.
His absence from the two major party events in the national capital recently is being seen as an indicator of emerging fissures between the political stands of the Chief Minister and the party’s central leadership.
Even as everyone in the party is crooning “all is well”, it has been learnt that the Chief Minister is having some difference of opinion with the high command over the proposed Cabinet reshuffle — while Capt Amarinder is in favour of re-inducting his close aide and former Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, the party high command has proposed to give the cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu his “due”.
Notably, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has organized ‘Bharat Bachao Rally’ on December 14 to highlight the “divisive and disruptive” policies of the BJP government. Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar had also called a meeting of senior leaders, including Ministers, legislators, among others, to ensure that Congress activists and supporters from Punjab “overwhelmingly participate” in the rally.
However, Capt Amarinder chose to skip the event citing that poor weather conditions could not allow his helicopter to take off. On the other hand, Chief Ministers of other Congress-ruled states, Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, participated in the event.
In another instance, the AICC staged a silent ‘satyagraha dharna’ at Rajghat on Monday to protest against the police brutality during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in which party’s entire top leadership, including Congress Chief Ministers — Gehlot, and Kamal Nath — participated, but Capt Amarinder was once again missing from the scene.
“Chief Minister had a minor eye operation on December 20 (Friday), and he was advised a week’s rest. That was why he did not participate in the satyagraha dharna on Monday, the Chief Minister’s close associate told The Pioneer adding that he would be resuming his office work by next week.
It has been learnt that the party command had communicated the Chief Minister to conduct a Cabinet reshuffle, while suggesting that Sidhu should be given a responsibility — an idea not acknowledged by Capt Amarinder.
On the other hand, the high command has indicated that it was not in favour of Chief Minister’s decision to re-induct Rana Gurjit in the Cabinet as it did not want to give birth to any undue controversy.
Notably, Capt Amarinder had chosen Rana Gurjit as his Minister when the Congress Government took over the state reign in 2017. But, he had to resign in January 2018 as the state Irrigation and Power Minister after facing allegations of his alleged involvement in the sand mining auctions. Sidhu, who was also the obvious choice among the first set to ministers, formally resigned from the State Cabinet in July this year in protest against the “punishment” of changing his portfolio.
The former cricketer took strong exception after the Chief Minister openly blamed him for the party’s not-so-good performance in the State’s urban pockets during 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and virtually revolted against the party. He has been staying away from the party events, and official meetings, since then.
The party high command believed that sidelining a personality like Sidhu may affect the party, especially at a time when the voice of giving larger role to Sidhu is gaining momentum within the state party unit.
Capt Amarinder was planning to meet the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the Cabinet reshuffle, besides other issues, but the same was cancelled reportedly after the latter turned down the proposal to induct Rana Gurjit in the Cabinet.
“There is nothing like that! This CAA and NRC issue has put everything on hold.
Entire focus is now on this issue,” said a senior Congress leader.