Amid calls for action against Navjot Sidhu, Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring says ‘no one above party, mistake will lead to ouster’

PTI

Chandigarh, January 23

Amid calls for disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu for holding individual rallies, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday, said whosoever commits a mistake will be thrown out of the party.

Nobody is above the party, he said, without naming anyone in particular.

Warring made the remarks speaking to reporters in Patiala where party's Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav was holding a meeting with party workers of the Patiala parliamentary seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

“Whosoever makes a mistake or who is committing a mistake, he or she will be thrown out of the party. Whosoever creates indiscipline in the party, not only notice will be served to him, he or she will also be thrown out,” said Warring while replying to a question on rallies being held by Sidhu.

“Nobody is above the party. Whoever wants to do something he or she can do without the symbol of Congress and without the Congress platform,” he added.

Infighting in the Punjab Congress came to the fore last month after former cricketer Sidhu started holding rallies without consulting the party's state unit.

In the wake of the incidents, Leader of opposition in the Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa asked him to join the party's programmes instead of setting up his “own stage.”

Several Congress leaders have asked the party leadership to rein in Sidhu.

Earlier this month, Warring had stressed that the party's programmes should be held in consultation with the state unit chiefs.

The matter reached Yadav when he was on a three-day visit to Punjab. At that time, Sidhu had informed Yadav that his public meetings were prior programmes.

Sidhu had also then said that “discipline” should not be selectively imposed. So far, Sidhu has held four such rallies -- two in Bathinda, one each in Hoshiarpur and Moga.

During the Moga rally on Sunday, the Punjab Congress had issued a show cause notice to Maheshinder Singh and his son for not informing the local leadership about holding a public meeting. Maheshinder Singh had organised Sidhu's rally.

Sidhu on Monday came out in support of Maheshinder and posted on X, “Will stand by the Nihalsinghwala family, come what may… Third Generation Congress family -- the roots of the grand old party … there cannot be any fruit without the root!!!”

Meanwhile, Warring said that Preneet Kaur, the suspended MP from Patiala, has said she would not be the party candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Kaur was suspended last year for anti-party activities. Kaur is the wife of former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh who is now with the BJP.

Kaur's daughter Jai Inder Kaur is also with the BJP and heads BJP Punjab Mahila Morcha.

#Amrinder Singh Raja Warring #Congress #Navjot Sidhu