12 days and counting: Sidhu’s list of district committees awaits Cong high command nod

“This has not found favour with the high command. Sidhu can have his own team but usually the recommendations are taken from MLAs, and other important party leaders. Also, Sidhu’s model of having two working presidents has not found favour yet,” a source said.

There are 29 district Congress committees in the state. By following Sidhu’s model, the Congress would have accommodated 87 leaders from districts across the state. The state body, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has Sidhu as its chief and he has four working presidents.

A source close to Sidhu said, “He has prepared the list on merit. He has not gone with recommendations as many leaders wanted their kith and kin in the body. Also, many wanted their own supporters. How would the Congress have representation from all spheres?”

He said the list was sent to All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge, Harish Chaudhary, also, who had promised the list will be okayed and released in a few hours. But, 12 days have passed since and the list still has not been cleared yet.

An AICC source said that Chaudhary was sitting on the list as it was not acceptable. “He is planning to take everyone on board. A meeting is likely to take place between Sidhu and Chaudhary soon.”

A senior party leader, however, said that the party wanted to give an important role to Jakhar. “But if his recommendation is not to be accepted, then what is the point,” he asked.

Also, the party is in two minds whether to change the model of district Congress committees so close to the 2022 Assembly election. “If there are protests then it will become difficult to handle them,” a leader said.

The PPCC has already taken four months to prepare the list of district Congress committees. Sidhu had taken over as Punjab Congress chief In July end.

FINALLY, SIDHU ATTACKS THE OPPOSITION

After receiving flak for attacking his own party and government, Sidhu on Monday finally turned his guns on the Opposition in a series of tweets, in which he took on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

He tweeted, “Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. @ArvindKejriwal Ji you talk of women empowerment, jobs & teachers. However, you don’t have one woman minister in your Cabinet. How many women in Delhi get ₹1000 despite revenue surplus left by Sheila Dikshit Ji !!”

On teachers and jobs he said, “…in 2015 there were 12515 job vacancies for teachers in Delhi, & in 2021 there are 19907 such job vacancies of teachers in Delhi … and you are filling most of vacant posts by just guest lecturers…”

“Women empowerment means mandatorily engaging women in every step of electoral process like Congress is doing in Punjab. True leadership is not in giving lollipops of ₹1000, but investing in their future by providing skills for self employment & woman entrepreneurs – Punjab Model.”

Another tweet by Sidhu read, “In your 2015 manifesto you promised 8 lakh new jobs and 20 new colleges in Delhi, where are the jobs and colleges? On the contrary of your failed guarantees, unemployment rate of Delhi has increased by almost 5 times in last 5 years!!”