Infighting blamed for Congress' Punjab poll debacle

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 15

Hours before Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu to resign as part of reorganisation of the state unit, party candidates from the Malwa region met here today in which leaders blamed demoralisation of the party cadre due to infighting among top state leaders and absence of a ground strategy as the primary reasons for the poll debacle.

As the Punjab Congress leadership began an exercise on Tuesday to resurrect itself from the worst-ever poll debacle, party leaders demanded action against the leaders who had indulged

in indiscipline.

Gidderbaha MLA Raja Warring said everyone is to be blamed for the party’s debacle. “Be it anyone. Irrespective of the position, whosoever has pulled the party down should be held accountable,” he said.

Darshan Brar, who lost the election from Baghapurana, said be it former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Sidhu or former PCC chief Sunil Jakhar, all contributed to the downfall of the party.

Gurpeet Singh GP, who lost from Bassi Pathana, demanded expulsion of Channi as he couldn’t prevent his brother Dr Manohar Singh from contesting against the party candidate.

Learning little from the infighting that led to the party’s rout, differences among Channi and Sidhu were visible today as both did not meet one another.

Asked about the reasons for the poll debacle, both leaders, who had one-on-one meetings with Punjab affairs incharge Harish Chaudhary, refused to talk to mediapersons.

The meeting had been called to go into the details of the poll debacle. Tomorrow, candidates of Doaba and Majha have been called.

During the day-long exercise, leaders pointed out that workers at the grassroots were demoralised and confused, and didn’t give true feedback to the leadership as top leaders kept giving contradictory statements. The ‘Dalit CM’ factor of Channi also did not make much impact, it was pointed out.

No one should be spared

Everyone is to be blamed for the debacle. Irrespective of the position, whosoever has pulled the party down should be held accountable. Raja Warring, Gidderbaha MLA

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