New Delhi: The troubles in Congress are no longer under the carpet.
The Punjab virtual 'laughter challenge tamasha' has assumed the spectre of a major crisis.
In 2019, 'Time' magazine had said India's opposition party led by Rahul Gandhi, an "unteachable mediocrity and a descendant of Nehru is in disarray". The words appear prophetic today.
Senior leaders and once confidants of the 'first family - Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad are speaking out.
While Sibal demanded an “open dialogue” and introspection, questioning the lack of clarity in the decision-making
process, former Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked Sonia Gandhi to call CWC meeting
urgently.
Azad has said that developments in Punjab and Goa were “disappointing” and also that mass exodus has hit the Congress - of course something seen in the grand old party in 1996 during the lacklustre stint of Sitaram Kesri as the party president.
The fact that leaders from Goa and Assam are deciding to quit the Congress and join Trinamool Congress,
essentially a West Bengal-based party, shows the stark reality that the ground is slipping underneath and
party loyalists are losing trust.
Sibal also said the G-23 rebel leaders were not part of the "jee huzoori" group - a direct reference to the
sycophancy and inner circle politics. Worse, all these have started when Sonia Gandhi has apparently taken
a step backward and has given a virtual freehand to two children - Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to run
the party show.
The Punjab crisis has escalated with Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation as pradesh Congress chief
and this marking a serious embarrassment for the 'first family' of the party. Both Rahul-Priyanka duo
had invested a lot in Sidhu and unceremoniously sacked Capt Amarinder Singh.
In his resignation letter to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu wrote, “The collapse of man’s character stems
from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for welfare
of Punjab. Therefore I hereby resign as president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will
continue to serve the Congress.”
Such strong words used for Sonia only shows that the grip has started loosening up.
Sibal was emphatic and sarcastic at the same time: "In our party, there is no president so we don't know
who is taking these decisions. We know and yet we don't know". This sounds direct challenge to the
neo-leadership.
Moreover, he also shared former CM Capt Amarinder Singh's concern that things should be handled in a mature
manner in sensitive Punjab.
"A border state (Punjab) where this is happening to the Congress party means what? It is an advantage
to ISI and Pakistan. We know the history of Punjab and the rise of extremism there".
On the other hand, a Rahul Gandhi-confidant Ajay Maken has hit back at Sibal. So did Chhattisgarh Minister
T S Singhdeo, who says all decisions are taken by Sonia Gandhi herself.
Amid all these intra-party wranglings, Capt Amarinder Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah in the capital
on Wednesday raising various questions and pulling up the speculation graph.
Amarinder Singh himself tweeted: "Met Union Home Minister Amit Shahji in Delhi. Discussed the prolonged farmers agitation against Farm Laws and urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with repeal of the laws and guarantee MSP, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification".
However, there were also hopes raised that the former CM could play mediator and try to end the crisis.
In 2019 - 'Time' magazine acidly said: "Nehru’s political heirs, who ruled India for the great majority of those post-independence years, established a feudal dynasty, while outwardly proclaiming democratic norms and principles. India, under their rule, was clubbish, anglicized and fearful of the rabble at the gates".
Things have now crossed the courtyard gates and reached the doors.
ends
There was a time, people used to say Kiski Nazar lag gayi Punjab ko; now they wud say Kiski Nazar lag gayi Congress Ko.
#Sidhu has thrown the Congress party into disarray....
"Congress led by Rahul Gandhi, "an unteachable mediocrity and a descendant of Nehru" is in disarray – Time magazine, 2019
Giving a shocker to his leadership and much to the embarrassment of Rahul Gandhi-Priyanka duo, Congress PCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned on Tuesday from the post of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.
This came barely ten days after Captain Amarinder Singh stepped down as the state chief minister.
In his resignation letter to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu wrote, “The collapse of man’s character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for welfare of Punjab. Therefore I hereby resign as president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress.”
The ongoing crisis in the Punjab Congress unit will have a major impact on the party as it prepares for re-election in the 2022 Assembly polls.
The hasty exit of Sidhu from the post of Punjab Congress chief just two-and-a-half months into his tenure yet again indicates that his objective was to dethrone Amarinder from the post of CM.
Meanwhile, there is speculation that former Punjab CM would meet Home Minister Amit Shah and perhaps also BJP Chief J P Nadda in New Delhi.
Interestingly after ensuring that Amarinder Singh has been booted out from the post rather unceremoniously, Sidhu is now not happy with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
It is open secret for Punjab watchers that Sidhu had been opposing tooth and nail the allotment of the home department to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Earlier, he had put his foot down when some party leaders considered Randhawa for the CM post and the word spread that even high command did not mind Randhawa for the top slot.
But there were also reports simultaneously that when Randhawa’s name was proposed for the top job, Sidhu had left the hotel where he was meeting Harish Rawat, Congress general secretary.
He also told confidants - let me go to Delhi to hand over the resignation as Punjab Congress president.
After Sidhu resigned, Amarinder appeared most happy person in Punjab politics and quickly tweeted: “I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab,” in an apparent dig at the party leadership.
Apparently, Sidhu is making 'corruption' a major plank and even told the party high command reportedly that he would not tolerate corruption. Whatever that means?
Sidhu is understandably also against the inclusion of Rana Gurjit Singh as a minister.
Amarinder had dropped Rana Gurjit Singh after the sand mining imbroglio and now he is back under the new government.
"What is the message that we are sending? It is like the old group is back,” a source close to Sidhu has said.
Sidhu was made Punjab Congress chief in July this year by the party high command in the face of strong opposition by former CM Capt Amarinder Singh.
After Sidhu resigned, Amarinder tweeted: “I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab,” in an apparent dig at the party leadership.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has slammed the state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu for his proximity with the Pakistani establishment and organising rebellion within the Congress party. In an interview given to 'the week' magazine, the captain also called Sidhu an anti-national and reiterated that he would do everything to stop Sidhu from becoming the CM of Punjab.
"Rahul and Priyanka, who are themselves quite inexperienced, were fed all kinds of nonsense by their advisers, like (AICC general secretary) K. C. Venugopal. It is unfortunate that after [me putting in] so many years of loyal service to the Congress, the party leadership chose to trust them over me," Amarinder Singh said.
"It is my responsibility as a Punjabi to do my best to protect my state and my people from such anti-nationals like Sidhu, who is a danger for all of us," he added. He pointed out Sidhu's friendship with the Pakistan PM Imran Khan and Army chief Bajwa and said that it was a disaster to have him the CM of Punjab since it shares an international border with Pakistan.
When asked about his future course of action, the captain said that he was yet to decide on that.
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