Channi joins revolt over Ropar candidate, threatens to resign

Tribune News Service

Ropar, January 14

The nomination of youth leader Brinder Singh Dhillon from the Ropar assembly constituency has triggered a revolt within the Congress. Chamkaur Sahib MLA and CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi has threatened to resign and contest independently in case the candidate was not replaced.

A majority of leaders from the district have resigned, alleging that the high command favoured an outsider.

Local leaders, including former minister and PPCC vice-president Ramesh Dutt Sharma, general secretaries Sukhwinder Singh Whisky and Harbhag Singh Saini; secretaries Satwinder Singh Chairrian, Amarjit Singh Bhullar, and Ashok Wahi Pomy Soni; DCC chief Vijay Sharma; former DCC president Amarjit Singh Saini and former district Youth Congress president Harwinder Kaur Sandhu, today held a meeting here and submitted their resignations to Channi.

They gave an ultimatum to the party to replace Dhillon with a local leader within 48 hours or face protest. Some, including Ashok Wahi, also threatened to contest independently. Though the media was barred from the meeting, former minister Ramesh Dutt Sharma and DCC president Vijay Sharma confirmed the announcement by Channi.

Channi, while talking to the media later, did not make any mention of his announcement and said he was asked by the DCC to attend the meeting. They had handed over their resignations to him, he added.