Sidhu’s installation: All Congress MLAs from Doaba to attend event in Chandigarh

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 22

With Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh agreeing to attend the installation ceremony of the newly appointed PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday, 10 of the 17 Congress MLAs from Doaba have decided to attend the event.

While seven MLAs, including the new working president, Sangat Singh Gilzian, and Sidhu’s main protégé Pargat Singh, had reportedly already been part of the show of strength of Sidhu, the remaining are in wait-and-watch mode.

The other five Doaba MLAs who had expressed solidarity with Sidhu yesterday at Amritsar included Bawa Henry from Jalandhar North, Angad Saini from Nawanshahr, Chaudhary Surinder Singh from Kartarpur, Arun Dogra from Dasuya, Indu Bala from Mukerian. There are 23 Assembly seats in Doaba with the Congress having representation on 17.

All Kapurthala MLAs, including Rana Gurjeet, Balwinder Dhaliwal, Navtej Cheema and Sukhpal Khaira, are from the CM’s camp. Sidhu had visited Cheema’s Chandigarh residence but the latter maintained that he could not say no to a guest. The only minister from Doaba, Sunder Sham Arora, too, had kept a distance from Sidhu. Other than Arora, MLAs from Hoshiarpur district, including Pawan Adia and Raj Kumar Chabbewal, too, have been CM’s loyalists.

Jalandhar Central MLA Rajinder Beri, who reportedly did not meet Sidhu at the residence of ex-minister Avtar Henry Sunday last despite repeated messages made to him, said, “When the CM is himself going to the function tomorrow, how can I stay back now? If he has buried the issues, so have I.”

Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, who had met the Chief Minister yesterday when all MLAs were at Amritsar, said, “I am certainly attending the function tomorrow. I have had no issues but I just wanted to support the CM, as I have always done. I have had no grudges against Sidhu.”

Hardev Laddi from Shahkot, who too had been on CM’s side, said, “I have no personal issues with Sidhu. I was simply awaiting the two to come on the same page for the good of the party.”

Over 30K expected at the ceremony

The Punjab Congress is leaving no stone unturned to make new PCC chief Navjot Sidhu’s installation ceremony a mega event at Punjab Congress Bhavan on Friday.

Apart from painting the building, senior leaders have planned a gathering of over 30,000 persons. Sources said since the sitting arrangements had been made for 3,000 persons, others would have to stand in open areas around the main pandal where the events was being held.

All issues resolved

I have no grudge against Sidhu. We resolved our issues in a recent meeting. I am now definitely attending Sidhu’s function tomorrow. Sushil Rinku, Jalandhar West MLA

On same page

I was awaiting the two to come on the same page for the good of the party. I have already reached Chandigarh for the event. Hardev Laddi, Shahkot MLA