Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu who has been holding parallel shows of strength in the State, once again was missing from party’s crucial first meeting of Punjab Congress’ election committee for upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Thursday. Instead, he held a separate meeting with three other former state party presidents. Sidhu took to X and posted his photo with former Punjab Congress presidents Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Shamsher Singh Dullo and Laal Singh and wrote, “Four former PCC Presidents- discussion on the present Political Situation!!!”. Sources said that four of them met at Laal Singh’s residence in Patiala. Sources also said that former Punjab chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal – she is also a member of State Congress election panel- also went to Laal Singh’s residence but left early to attend the official party meeting at Chandigarh. Contacted, Bhattal said: “I had received a call from Laal Singh’s son that he was unwell. I had only gone to see him. I am not aware of any meeting” Dullo claimed: “We had only gathered for a lunch. It was a get together of old colleagues and when politicians meet, discussions do take place.” Kaypee, who is also a member of 27-member Punjab Congress election panel, was conspicuous by his absence in election panel meeting at Chandigarh. He was not available for comment. The meeting was chaired by Bhakta Charan Das, who is the chairman of cluster-IV screening committee of Congress which includes the State of Punjab, through video conferencing along with screening committee member Neeraj Dangi and Punjab election panel member Ambika Soni who also joined through video-conferencing. Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi was also among the leaders who were not present at Punjab Congress Bhawan, Chandigarh during the election panel meeting. A number of members were learnt to have underscored the need to ensure discipline and rein in absentees, said a member of the panel who attended the meeting, adding that party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav, while pointing out that it was the first meeting, assured that conduct of members would be watched in the future meetings. Talking to reporters, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring while responding to a query sarcastically said, “Action would continue hundred percent against those indulging in indiscipline. The party high command is watching everything continuously. Pata nahi kadon kis nu love letter mil jaave (No one knows when somebody will get a love letter – apparently referring to action by the party).” During the meeting, the members of the panel were asked to suggest names of the prospective candidates for all the 13 constituencies of the State within a couple of days. A leader who attended the meeting said, “Every member was asked to suggest at least three names on the basis of winnability prospects for each constituency and submit those before the screening committee by Saturday. The party would then get a survey conducted on prospective candidates to finalise the party candidate for each constituency.” The leader added, “This exercise is a departure from earlier practice of passing one-line resolution to authorise party high command to select candidates. The screening committee would also hold one on one meeting with each member of State Congress election panel to get the feedback.” Another leader who attended the meeting said that the issue of whether to have an alliance with AAP in Punjab was also discussed, but Punjab Congress leaders re-iterated that they were opposed to have a truck with AAP in Punjab. Notably, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has categorically announced that AAP will contest all 13 seats in the State. Majority of the Punjab Congress have been against the alliance in the State, ever since INDIA bloc came into existence at national level. A Congress leader said that screening committee wanted that exercise to finalise candidates should be completed fast so that they can start the poll campaign. The leader said that screening committee chairman was likely to visit Punjab soon to hold meetings with members of State Congress election panel. Apart from election panel meeting, two other meetings – one of district presidents of the party and other of sitting legislators and constituency in-charges of the party were also held in Punjab Congress Bhawan on Thursday where the party leaders were asked to prepare for upcoming visit of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in Punjab. Kharge would be meeting party leaders from across the State in Samrala on February 11. During the meetings, the party leaders were also told to put as many as 1 lakh Congress flags across the constituencies in the State before the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, said a leader.
