Factionalism in Congress comes to fore

Ashok Kaura
Phagwara, January 16

Factionalism in the Congress here has escalated after the appointment of former Punjab Mahila Congress Committee vice-president Balbir Rani Sodhi as the president of the District Congress Committee, Kapurthala, recently.

Both factions, led by former minister Joginder Singh Maan and Sodhi have started making allegations and counter-allegations against each other.

Supporters of Maan, including BCCU president Sanjeev Bugga, Congress leaders Sunil Prashar, Daljit Raju, Ram Kumar Chadha and Gurjit Walia are condemning the appointment of Sodhi and alleged that she along with her husband, Balbir Raja Sodhi were responsible for the defeat of Maan as the Sodhi family and their supporters opposed Maan.

Former BCC chief Madan M Bajaj, while welcoming the appointment of  Sodhi as DCC president alleged that Maan and his supporters opposed and worked to ensure the defeat of Balbir R Sodhi in the Assembly poll, who contested as the Congress candidate in 2012. Bajaj alleged that Maan joined hands with opposition party candidate.