Hoardings without Dev’s pictures flare up controversy

Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 18

Having opposed the appointment of former MC councillor Baldev S Dev as the DCC (Urban) chief and having skipped the joining-in of the new presidents of the District Congress Committee two days ago, Jalandhar (West) Congress MLA Sushil Rinku has stirred up another controversy.

Today, hoardings carrying a congratulatory message from him only for new Jalandhar (rural) chief Sukhwinder Lally were put all across the city.

The missing picture and the name of Dev further endorsed that he still nurtures his anxiety against the move of the party high-ups.

The hoardings were seen not just in his Jalandhar West constituency but in the entire city.

Several reactions on the move kept pouring in day through. Many commented that Lally’s hoardings in the city carried no meaning as his working area was outside the city.

“If he wanted to put Lally’s posters, these should have come up at Adampur, Shahkot, Nakodar, Phillaur or Kartarpur constituencies which fall under the DCC (Rural) chief’s area. This move of the MLA is to further put Dev down”, said a Congress councillor from Jalandhar North area.

Others said that Rinku was looking for more publicity ahead of the finalisation of the ticket for Jalandhar Parliamentary seat for which he was a claimant.

When asked about the same, Rinku said, “I have not got these hoardings put. They are some acquaintances of Sukhwinder Lally from my constituency who have put these up with my picture. When they came to me with the hoarding design, I had warned them that this could lead to another controversy against me. I may get these removed tomorrow.”

Giving an excuse that he had gone to attend a Vidhan Sabha committee meeting during the joining-in ceremony held two days ago at the Congress Bhawan, Rinku said: “How can I have a problem now over Dev’s appointment? The high command has chosen him. I am nobody to oppose it. Anyway, DCC (urban) chief is a very important post and Dev will be judged by the people for his work.”