30 Congress MLAs, including 4 ministers, revolt against Punjab CM

The tension between Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is brewing once again as 30 Congress MLAs, including four Cabinet ministers, sought the removal of the chief minister.

The Congress has 80 legislators in the 117-assembly member house.

A few days back, CM Amarinder Singh had trained his guns at Sidhu’s advisors over their remarks on Pakistan and Kashmir.

The revolting MLAs said they do not have “faith” in Amarinder Singh because he failed to fulfil promises made before the last assembly elections.

The four ministers — Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi — and around two dozen legislators met at Bajwa’s residence on Tuesday (August 24). State Congress general secretary Pargat Singh also attended the meeting. Sidhu was not present but it is known that all these leaders are close to the state Congress President.

Bajwa has sought National Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s appointment to air their grievances. Sources say these leaders will demand Amrinder Singh’s removal ahead of the assembly polls in 2022. Bajwa said “drastic” steps need to be taken and if there is a need to change the chief minister, then it should be done.

The development is expected to deepen the crisis in the Punjab Congress, just a few months ahead of the assembly elections.

Also read: BJP targets Gandhis as Sidhu advisors add fuel to Cong fire in Punjab

Channi said at a press conference that several party legislators and ministers have expressed concern over the unfulfilled promises, including delay in justice in case of desecration of a religious text in 2015, arrest of the big fish involved in drug rackets and scrapping power purchase agreements.

“A lot of promises have been fulfilled but those promises (the implementation of) which lead to friction with the opposition remain unfulfilled,” Channi said.

He said nothing happened after the questioning of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal by the SIT in the Kotkapura police firing incident.

“Today the situation is such that our issues are not being resolved with the chief minister (Amarinder Singh) and that is why we are going to meet the party high command,” said Channi.

Earlier, two of Sidhu’s advisors – Malvinder Singh Mali and Pyare Lal Garg – stirred controversy over their remarks on Kashmir and Pakistan. Opposition as well as some Congress MLAs criticised them for their remarks.

Malvinder Singh Mali had said that Kashmir was a separate country and both India and Pakistan were illegal occupants.

Pyare Lal Garg took a dig at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for criticising Pakistan.

BJP said the Congress should clarify its stand on the “anti-India propaganda” of the two Congress leaders. The party said that Sidhu’s advisors’ irresponsible statements were a “well thought-out” strategy to divert people’s attention from the promises made by the Congress party ahead of the 2017 state elections.