Punjab Cong leader Kikki Dhillon interview: ‘State unit divided… Warring should be asked why he did not campaign for Ashu’

Excerpts:

*You are among Congress leaders who resigned. How do you look at the situation?

We resigned on moral grounds. We had a small team comprising a president, a working president and four vice-presidents. All of us worked hard for the bypoll. Personally, we have nothing against each other. But there is a perception in politics that leaders do not leave power. This is not the case with me. There is something called “zameer (conscience)”. I chose to step down taking moral responsibility for the bypoll defeat.

Our only request to the high command is to give others a chance so that the Congress forms the government in Punjab in 2027. It is not about posts. The party is bigger.

*Why did the Congress lose the bypoll?

In a bypoll, the government uses all its money, police force and administrative machinery.

Ludhiana has a lot of businessmen and industrialists, who can be easily arm- twisted. They did not want to pick enmity with the government as it has only about a year and half left in its tenure. While people in rural areas are ready to fight, people in the city do not want trouble.

The AAP government was so scared that it bribed and arm-twisted people in all the colonies where underprivileged people live.

Even though people were shy to vote against the government, only 50% of them turned up to vote. People did not want to vote for the government but were afraid of voting against it.

*You claim to be a team but Warring did not campaign for Ashu…

You should ask Warring this. In a team, each member has responsibility. As our responsibility we did the job but lost and resigned as we felt accountable for the loss.

*Why is there talk of the state Congress being a “divided house”?

There are certain issues and it is unfortunate. We are all friends. Warring and Ashu are best of friends. It all comes down to the fact that it is the responsibility of people in higher positions to take everyone along.

*Are you referring to Warring?

Yes, the boss needs to take everyone along.

*The rift has been visible since Warring won last year’s Lok Sabha polls. Was there an attempt to control damage?

There must have been some reason. No one becomes disloyal just like that. A lot was done but I do not want to get into that now.

*How did the situation reach this stage?

A lot of things have happened in the past but yes, the team is unfortunately divided now.

*Leaders like Karan Warring and Kamaljit Karwal joined the Congress without the state president’s consent and this is being touted as one of the reasons for the acceptance of your resignations…

I do not know the details but a lot of leaders join during every election and this is routine. For instance, the Bains brothers joined ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It did not happen for the first time.

*Which camp are you in?

I am in neither camp. I am someone who did not even bow down to the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann), with whom my ties go back to our days in the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP). We do not like each other’s ways. He is a vindictive man… I had a choice to beg for forgiveness but I chose to fight for my party.

My only camp is the Congress. I do not mind any other colleague leading us but he or she should unite the party.

*Then why did you resign in solidarity with Ashu?

Even Ashu is not in any camp, nor is Pargat Singh. Our fight is only for the betterment of the party and not a personal one.

*You have worked with both Warring and Ashu. Is there any difference?

There is a lot of difference…both had entirely different priorities. The Ludhiana Lok Sabha ticket may have been a small factor, but there were a lot of other things.

*Could you elaborate?

They have contrasting thought processes and different views on how to tackle the AAP government and the Congress’s role as the Opposition… In the end, we all just want good for the Congress.