Facing a crisis, with resignations and letters to the party high command by his opponents in the party, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday remained just short of naming his bête noire and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, but gave enough indications that he was behind the provocation.
Maintaining that he was “reaching out” to the rebel leaders to resolve their grievances, Bajwa minced no words to say that these leaders were being “pressurised” to put in their papers.
“A very senior leader, who resigned from the party post only yesterday, told me that he was made to do this against his wishes… and he could not refuse to do this to someone,” said Bajwa, apparently indicating at Former Minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh — known as Amarinder’s man.
Chaudhary was local bodies’ minister during Captain’s regime from 2002 to 2007, and it was during his tenure, ludhiana City Centre scam broke out in which both of them are facing trial for their alleged role in a ludhiana court.
Extremely critical of the list, Capt Amarinder has made it clear that he would take up the grievances of local leaders with the party high command, going against AICC general secretary in-charge Shakeel Ahmad’s advice of resolving differences with PPCC president.
later, clarifying his assertions, Bajwa told The Pioneer that he had not given any indications towards any one. “Those pressuris ing could be someone from outside the party…could be Sukhbir (Badal)…look, he has accused me of taking money to give posts in PPCC,” said Bajwa, while ruling out any factionalism within the party.
Claiming that he had not received any resignation as yet, Bajwa said that he would deal with the party’s current state of affairs with “pamper and care”.
Responding to a media query regarding opposition of his PPCC list of office bearers by the senior party leaders, Bajwa said that it is time to when we have to leave place for the youngsters too. Bajwa also made it clear that he is open to making any amendments in the PPCC list.