Bajwa claimed that Sidhu was not in a position to “digest” the eye and admiration and respect that the individuals of Punjab gave him. He additionally blamed Sidhu for the occasion’s loss within the 2022 meeting elections.
ਹਲਕਾ ਪਾਇਲ ਵਿਖੇ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਨਾਲ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਮੌਜ਼ੂਦਾ ਮੁੱਦਿਆਂ ‘ਤੇ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ pic.twitter.com/qfglzOCrs9
— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) December 19, 2023
On Wednesday, Sidhu first shared a publish on ‘X’ by his loyal supporter and social activist Malwinder Singh Malli on his timeline, attacking Bajwa for the downfall of the Congress.
** ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ ਅੰਦਰ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਦੀ ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਧਿਰ ਦੇ ਆਗੂ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਜਵਾ ਦੀ ਘਬਰਾਹਟ ‘ਚੋ ਪੈਦਾ ਗੁਮਰਾਹਕੁੰਨ ਬਿਆਨ ਤੇ ਵਿਹਾਰ ਚੁਤਰਾਈ ਵਾਲੀ ਪੈਂਤੜੇਬਾਜੀ ਦਾ ਆਹਲਾ ਨਮੂਨਾ **
** ਤੁਸੀ ਇੰਡੀਆ ਗੱਠਜੋੜ ਦੀ ਸਿਆਸਤ ਨੂੰ ਨਕਾਰੋ ਤੇ ਬੋਲੋ ਕਿ ਅਸੀ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਹਾਈਕਮਾਂਡ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇਸ ਗੱਠਜੋੜ ਦੇ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਫੈਸਲਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਲਾਗੂ ਨਹੀਂ…
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) December 20, 2023
He then adopted it up by posting an announcement of 5 former MLAs who supported him.
Just a few hours later, one other set of Congressmen, backing Bajwa, issued a press assertion demanding Sidhu’s expulsion from the occasion for indiscipline. “Sidhu is a bomb in the basement, waiting to implode,” they mentioned within the assertion.
The 2 sides continued to commerce barbs Thursday as nicely.
Sidhu re-shared a publish by one other Congress chief Gautam Seth, who supported him and termed Bajwa’s remarks as “unsolicited and unfortunate”.
. @kharge @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @sherryontopp @INCPunjab @Partap_Sbajwa pic.twitter.com/P8BVwaR2PT
— Gautam Seth (@GautamSeth_INC) December 20, 2023
Sidhu endured together with his criticism with a direct publish saying that the Congress agenda in Punjab was extra vital than particular person leaders.
I would be very pleased if even 100 Congressmen collect in a village or a metropolis to propagate the Congress’ ideology, Punjab’s revival agenda and to make the current authorities accountable to public welfare. It would not matter a lot which Congress chief they select to have as a chief…
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) December 21, 2023
“Why be a hindrance to 8,000 supporters and not facilitate? Do the people of Punjab believe in your party’s agenda and consider you as an alternative?-that is all that matters, ” he added.
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The way it all started
Speaking to mediapersons Tuesday, Bajwa blamed Sidhu for bringing down the variety of MLAs within the Punjab meeting from 78 to 18 (within the 2022 meeting elections). He mentioned the political downfall of the Congress occurred when Sidhu was the president of the occasion within the state.
“If you (Sidhu) have been given power and respect by the masses, learn to digest it,” mentioned Bajwa, including: “He should not organise his own personal rallies. Whatever he has to say, he should do from the official forum of the Congress.”
Bajwa was responding to a query about Sidhu’s rally of Congress staff in Mehraj in Bathinda Sunday. Sidhu was the one Congress chief to deal with the rally.
Through the rally, Sidhu hit out at each the Shiromani Akali Dal rule in Punjab as nicely that of the Congress chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Final month, Sidhu even met the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and handed over a memorandum in regards to the legislation and order scenario in Punjab and the state’s monetary disaster.
In response, Malli launched a full-blown assault on Bajwa. “You (Bajwa) are responsible for the party coming down from 78 MLAs to 18 MLAs, not Sidhu as the state president,” he wrote within the publish that was shared by Sidhu.
“It was Bajwa (and group) that had shunned Sidhu’s model of development for Punjab and played the Dalit card (by aiding Charanjit Singh Channi to become the chief minister in the run up to the 2022 assembly elections),” added Malli.
He additionally mentioned that Bajwa’s assertion in opposition to Sidhu was born out of trepidation.
“When you refuse to toe the line of the party high command over the formation of the INDIA alliance, then is it not a separate forum of the Congress in the state? But if Sidhu says that he will stand by the wishes of the high command and will fight for Punjab, then it is dismissed as a separate forum,” wrote Malli.
In the meantime, speaking to media individuals following the rally in Bathinda Sunday, Sidhu defended his rally and defined that he had addressed it on the invitation of Congress staff below the banner of the Congress occasion. He mentioned posters of Congress excessive command, together with Rahul Gandhi, have been put up on the stage and that ought to embody all.
Congress divided
Within the assertion issued in favour of Sidhu Wednesday, former MLAs Nazar Singh Manshahia, Rajinder Singh Samana, Maheshinder Singh, Raminder Singh Awla, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and different leaders, together with Vijay Kalra, Harvinder Singh Laddi, Rajveer Singh Raja and Inderjeet Singh Dhillon, mentioned that neither Sidhu nor they have been ever invited to attend any of the official features of the Congress.
They alleged that they have been meted out a step-motherly therapy by the occasion.
Addressing Bajwa, they mentioned within the assertion, “The Congress is our mother party and is as dear to us as it is to you, but the fact is that the party workers are feeling ignored. And since Sidhu is holding them together, it is pinching some leaders. We hope that the party does not mistreat Navjot Sidhu and the party workers.”
The assertion added that Bajwa had did not organise even a single rally within the state previously month taking up the present authorities.
“Workers of the party and several leaders who are supporting Sidhu are being ignored. And when Sidhu holds successful rallies for the party it is not tolerated by other leaders of the party,” mentioned the Congress leaders within the assertion.
Then again, one other group of leaders, together with Kulbir Singh Zira, former MLA Zira; Inderbir Singh Bolaria, former MLA Amritsar South; and Barindermeet Singh Pahra, MLA Gurdaspur, amongst others, mentioned that Sidhu was “indisciplined” and that harmed the occasion.
“Even though we respect him as the former chief of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, his actions often work against the interests of the party as a whole.” mentioned the press launch issued by the leaders Wednesday.
“His indiscipline in dealing with political matters usually goes against the collective efforts of the Congress party. This was evident under his leadership,” mentioned Zira within the press launch.
“Navjot Singh Sidhu has had a history of being opposite to the collective stand of the Congress party,” mentioned Navjot Singh Dahiya, former MLA Nakodar.
In accordance with Bolaria, “It is essential to remember, Navjot Singh Sidhu was sitting right beside the senior party leadership when the then CM Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi Ji was announced as the CM face for the 2022 elections.”
“But, instead of standing with the party, he (Sidhu) chose his own glorification agenda,” Bolaria added.
Gurdaspur MLA Pahra blamed Sindhu for being focussed on “self-glorification”.
“You have never supported the party’s agenda. This is something that needs to stop. You could not help the party in a leadership position as the PCC Chief, and now, you are unable to perform as a team player,” Pahra added.
Mohit Mohindra, head of the Punjab Youth Congress, mentioned that forward of the meeting elections in 2022, the occasion manifesto was launched very late. “This might be the only incident in the long history of elections in India that a manifesto was released just two days prior to the elections.”
“This is all because your (Sidhu) focus while being in a position of power and leadership, was more inclined on settling scores than actually working on the high-level position handed to you by the party,” he added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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