Fresh trouble in Punjab Congress | Suspended for organizing Navjot Sidhu’s rally, ex-MLA asks: ‘Why no such action against Sidhu too?’

The state Congress had on January 21 issued a show-cause notice to Maheshinder and his son for not informing the local leadership about the rally and had asked them to submit a reply within two days, failing which they would face disciplinary action. The notice was issued by PPCC general secretary in-charge Captain Sandeep Sandhu on the complaint of party’s Moga constituency incharge Malvika Sood Sachar.

The suspension order was issued by state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. It said that Maheshinder was also being removed as PPCC delegate.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sandhu said that the reply to the showcause notice by father-son was found “unsatisfactory”.

“We asked them why they did not keep state leadership or even district unit in loop before organizing the rally using party’s name but they had no answer to that. None from the district unit attended their event. It is for the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to decide if any action will be initiated against Sidhu or not but as far as organizers are concerned, they stand suspended,” said Sandhu.

Maheshinder, meanwhile, claimed that he had submitted a detailed reply to the notice.

“I would like to ask that what crime did I commit by organizing a rally for a senior party leader? Why no such notices were issued to the organizers of his previous rallies in other districts? Two former PPCC presidents (Lal Singh and Sidhu) were present there so why such notices are not being issued to them? It seems like Warring saab is having some personal issue with us. My father Gurcharan Singh Nihal Singh Wala was a five-time MLA and two-time MP. It was Sidhu who posted the invite for all and also asked us to organize the gathering which we did. He too is a senior Congress leader so what crime we did by doing what he said,” said Maheshinder.

Those who attended Sidhu’s rally on January 21 were former MLAs Rajinder Singh, Jagdev Singh Kamalu, Nazar Singh Manshahia, and Surjit Singh Dhiman. However, none from Moga’s local Congress unit including district president Sukhjit Singh Kaka Lohgarh or Sachar were present.

Sachar said that were neither informed about the event, nor invited. “There was no point attending when it wasn’t an official party programme. Moreover, the organizer (Maheshinder) has no link with Moga constituency. He belongs to Nihal Singh Wala sub-division and was a SAD MLA from Baghapurana. He held the rally in Moga without keeping us in loop due to which I had to submit a complaint against him,” said Sachar, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls from Moga seat.

After the party had issued notice to Maheshinder and his son, Sidhu had come out in their support. “Will stand by the Nihalsinghwala family, come what may…Third generation Congress family.. the roots of grand old party.. there cannot be any fruit without the root,” he had said on X.

A former SAD MLA from Baghapurana, Mahesinder had joined Congress ahead of 2017 Assembly elections. Later he also served as Congress’s Moga district unit president.

Sidhu’s parallel rallies, which had continued even when party’s state affairs incharge Devender Yadav was on Punjab tour recently, have invited sharp criticism from Warring who said that “indiscipline in the party won’t be tolerated” and “those would indulge in indiscipline, will be thrown out from the party”. .He had also said that those who want to “express personal views from the stage” should do so without using party’s name or banner.

At the rally, Sidhu had targeted the Congress and said that the party cannot continue to live in a fool’s paradise and said it was time to raise a “new Congress in Punjab which would have roaring lions.”