Does Punjab Turmoil Set Congress Up For A Ripple Effect Ahead of 2022 Polls? Party Leaders Speak Out

[ad_1]

The intra-party factionalism within the Congress might develop into stronger and voices of dissent louder in wake of the political turmoil the occasion confronted in Punjab. Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation on Saturday was the results of a long-drawn tussle between him and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Not solely this, the Congress has additionally witnessed the exit of different occasion leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Sushmita Dev and Priyanka Chaturvedi in different states.

Congress leaders are actually afraid that infighting and political turmoil in Punjab might result in a ripple impact in faction-ridden Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Besides Punjab, the occasion is in energy by itself in these two states. Reports of misunderstandings have additionally emerged from Maharashtra again and again the place the occasion is in alliance with the Shiv Sena and the NCP. The occasion just isn’t identified to be one of the best group participant in Maharashtra, the place the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has extra say in day-to-day affairs.

The unease inside the occasion was pretty summed up by Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday, who mentioned he hoped that Amarinder Singh “received’t take any step that would trigger injury to the Congress occasion” and stressed that all Congress leaders should put the country ahead of personal beliefs.

The Congress was put through the grind last year too. Gehlot himself faced a rebellion by Sachin Pilot, but managed to save the day. He, however, could not have come out of it unscathed. A senior leader of the Congress said, “Punjab developments are likely to have ramifications elsewhere. Dissensions within the party may get fuelled and this will weaken the party further.”

In Chhattisgarh, the tussle between chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and well being minister TS Singh Deo has come out within the open with Deo looking for to implement the “2.5 12 months CM” sharing formula reached at the time of Congress victory.

Party veterans are saying most issues within the Congress are “self-inflicted” to a big extent. They mentioned private aspirations and ambitions have been too excessive to be fulfilled, particularly when the BJP was holding its breath for the Congress to make even one improper transfer.

Despite adjustments in high positions within the BJP, such because the current change of guard in Gujarat, the occasion tried to challenge unity and self-discipline. A frontrunner mentioned the selections made in Punjab will come at a price. There is way hypothesis over Amarinder’s subsequent transfer, who seems to be disgruntled and, in his personal phrases, “humiliated”. In the run up to the 2022 polls, many are saying he may rebel whereas others are saying he could join the BJP.

“The aspirations of leaders are often too high to be fulfilled. The conflict within the Congress is bound to grow if you try to accommodate all aspirations, as was sought to be done in Punjab by giving the MLAs a platform to speak out against the chief minister,” mentioned a celebration veteran.

The new Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi was amongst 4 cupboard ministers and several other legislators who revolted in opposition to Amarinder final month. Spurred by Sidhu, they too targeted on three central points to castigate the CM: delay in justice in case of desecration of non secular texts in 2015, arrest of these concerned in drug rackets and scrapping energy buy agreements. They mentioned that they had misplaced “religion” in the Captain as he had failed to fulfil promises made before the 2017 assembly polls.

According to sources, the G-23, a group of leaders who had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 seeking an organisational overhaul, is also waiting to see the outcome of the Punjab turmoil. A former AICC office-bearer said once any party heavyweight dissented in the open, things might snowball further.

A leader, who did not wish to be named, said he “felt sorry” in terms of how points in Punjab have been dealt with. “This would possibly result in extra inside discontent and factionalism,” said a former minister from a state facing infighting.

While Amarinder was removed for fear of possible anti-incumbency, there are those who feel that Punjab was a massive gamble going into the 2022 campaign. It would be difficult for the party to recover if it lost Punjab ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. An old party leader alleged that the leadership was promoting dissidence, and that “competence and loyalty were considered a disadvantage in the Congress these days”.

Earlier within the day, senior occasion chief Kapil Sibal additionally tweeted: “Changing Guard. Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Punjab. Age previous saying: A sew in time saves 9. Will it?”. His reference was to Congress-ruled Punjab and the sudden change of guard there.

“The resignation of Capt Amarinder Singh was an unpleasant and difficult situation. Its ramifications are yet to unfold,” mentioned former union minister Ashwani Kumar.

“Hopefully, contemplating his contribution to the occasion and the state, his damage emotions could be suitably assuaged in a way constant together with his stature and dignity. This will probably be within the curiosity of the occasion,” Kumar added. Former union minister Salman Khurshid also said it was sad that Amarinder had resigned and hoped something could be worked out. “We are all working towards unity and hope and pray that we remove our personal differences and strengthen the party further,” Khurshid mentioned.

Taking to Twitter, Gehlot additionally mentioned each Congressman should rise above oneself and suppose within the curiosity of the nation. “Sometimes the excessive command has to take selections the curiosity of the occasion on the premise of suggestions from MLAs and customary individuals. I personally consider that the Congress President selects the CM on the threat of inviting displeasure of a number of leaders who’re within the race for Chief Ministership. However when the identical CM is modified, he/she is displeased and holds the choice improper. One ought to hear to 1’s interior voice in such moments. I feel that it ought to be a matter of concern for all of the countrymen as to what route the nation is heading in the direction of as a result of Fascist forces,” he tweeted.

About Amarinder, he tweeted, “He has worked to the best of his capacity and served the people of Punjab. Capt. Amarinder Singh ji is a respected leader of the party and I hope that he will continue to work in the future also keeping the Party’s interests in the forefront.” (sic)

(With PTI inputs)

Read all of the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News right here



[ad_2]

Source hyperlink

Leave a Comment