Bhattal’s charges baseless: Amarinder

The PPCC chief said that Bhattal had told him on the telephone that he had not protected her interests while she was abroad. He said that Meira Kumar had also conveyed to Bhattal the decision of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to replace her as CLP leader.

He asserted that he had no authority to replace the leader of the Congress Legislature Party without the sanction of the party president, as alleged by Bhattal, the CLP had met the next day, October 9, and decided to elect a new leader. All this was done with due sanction of the party chief, he added.

Capt Amarinder Singh said that earlier in August, Sonia Gandhi had conveyed to Bhattal her decision to replace her as CLP leader and Bhattal had sought a month’s time as she had been invited abroad as the CLP leader in Punjab. The PPCC chief hinted that the change had augured well for the party, saying the dalit vote had been consolidated following the elevation of Choudhary Jagjit Singh as CLP leader which had been proved by the support given by dalits to the Congress candidate in Adampur by-election. He said Bhattal had preferred to campaign in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh instead of at Adampur after her return from abroad.Thanking the people for reposing confidence in the Congress in the Adampur by-election, Capt Amarinder Singh said the voters had rejected the wooing through money and liquor practiced by the family of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at Faridkot.

He said the dalit voter had come back to the Congress fold and also the Congress had got a major chunk of Sikh votes in a predominantly Sikh constituency. He also claimed the Hindu voter had also deserted the Akali Dal.

Capt Amarinder Singh said victory had been possible due to the vigilance kept by Congressmen on polling day "which saw Union Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal engage in rigging exercises". The PPCC chief also lauded Congress election incharge Bir Devinder Singh "at his ability to not allow any foul play to occur during counting".

The PPCC president said the election result would be reviewed at a meeting of the pradesh committee on December 8 and an agenda for the issues to be raised in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session would also be discussed. Later, a meeting of office bearers including Bir Devinder Singh, Lal Singh and Sant Ram singla was also held.