Rajmeet singh
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, October 6
After persuading former Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend Rahul Gandhi’s tractor rally in Moga, AICC Secretary General and Punjab Affairs Officer Harish Rawat appeased another party leader, the MP from Rajya Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, making him not only share the stage with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, but also addressed a rally in Patiala.
Raninder, Brahm call Rahul
Rahul Gandhi held a one-on-one meeting with Raninder Singh, son of Captain CM Amarinder Singh. Party insiders say CM’s family was interested in Raninder carrying the political legacy forward. Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra also met with the Congress leader.
To ensure that the party’s state leaders formed a united front, the party’s high command had sent a message to the sulking Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo to be present at the Patiala rally.
On Sunday, Rawat had Sidhu, who had left the captain’s cabinet over reported differences, share the stage and address the opening rally in Moga. Party leaders admitted that the public and party leaders had asked to listen to Sidhu. However, he stayed away from the party program for the next two days.
“Although the Captain’s camp was not comfortable with the presence of Sidhu and Bajwa at the rallies, he took it in confidence before having the leaders share the stage with him. However, they were sitting far from the CM, ”said a senior leader. Sources said that party leaders, by bringing Sidhu and Bajwa to the stage with the CM, were testing the waters ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections.
Gandhi’s visit to Punjab and the response to the party’s agitation against the agricultural laws have only strengthened the position of the Chief Minister. By retaining the head of the PPCC, Sunil Jakhar, the CM has sent a clear message to the party’s high command and its bête noires that it enjoys the full support of its team.
