Congress suspends Bir Devinder, its strategist placates him

In a closed-door meeting that went on for over an hour late on Thursday, Bir Devinder, sources said, was promised a more active role in the party. Sources added that both Amarinder and Bir would now bury the hatchet publicly and work together

HOURS after the Congress suspended former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh from its primary membership, for his outburst against Punjab unit president Capt Amarinder Singh, the party’s election strategist Prashant Kishor went into damage-control mode, met the veteran leader and placated him.

In a closed-door meeting that went on for over an hour late on Thursday, Bir Devinder, sources said, was promised a more active role in the party. Sources added that both Amarinder and Bir would now bury the hatchet publicly and work together. They added that former MP Jagmeet Brar would also be approached in the coming days.

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A senior party leader said Kishor had taken it upon himself to pacify and actively involve all disgruntled leaders in the Congress poll campaign. “Everything would soon be sorted. Those who think Congress will be marred by bickering will just have to keep waiting,” said the leader.

Kishor was in Hoshiarpur for a party workers’ meet, early on Thursday, when Amarinder suspended Devinder in the morning. He, however, met the former deputy speaker in Chandigarh. Bir had been called from Patiala.

“The meeting went on well. We discussed the scenario in Punjab. I have been asked to be tight-lipped about the meeting. I cannot tell anything more. All I can say is that the outcome would be positive. I feel valued that Prashant met me,” Bir told The Indian Express after the meeting.

On his suspension, he said, “I do not know I have been suspended. If I have been suspended then I can say that Amarinder would have put his sagacity and wisdom at stake while deciding action against me. As my vocal chords had dried up when I canvassed for him in Amritsar, I am sure he would have been pained by this decision”.

Bir Devinder had, however, said he would fight for the righteousness and truth, earlier in the day.

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“I am not going to compromise with the corruption. I am not going to betray traditions laid down by us in the Vidhan Sabha. Whatever may be the circumstances, I will not surrender. I stand by each line and each word, I have said. Whatever I wrote against him was the manifestation of sentiments of many Congressmen. I should have rather been appreciated. He has taken a destructive path and destroy himself as well as the party in Punjab,” he had said. His tone though changed after the meeting.

Earlier, while suspending Bir Devinder from primary membership of the party with immediate effect, Amarinder had constituted a committee, headed by his loyalist MLA, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and Ajaib Singh Bhatti and Rana KP Singh as members, to look into the matter. Devinder was asked to reply to the committee by April 7 as to why no further action should be taken against him.

Brar gets notice

Former Congress MP Jagmeet Brar was issued a show cause notice by the party’s general secretary incharge, Dr Shakeel Ahmad, on Tuesday for his outburst against the party and Amarinder, said sources. Jagmeet has been quiet ever since. Refusing to divulge anything about the show cause, Dr Ahmad said, “He has not said anything for the last two days.” Jagmeet was not available for comments.

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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Bir Devinder Singh