Punjab Congress President Raja Vading said that party in-charge Bhupesh Baghel will meet former CM Charanjit Singh Channi alone on Saturday. He said that Baghel will first hold personal discussions and then all the leaders will sit together. The purpose of the meeting is to resolve the ongoing differences in the party.
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Vading said on Friday that AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel is going to meet former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday. He told that Baghel will discuss privately with Channi before meeting other leaders. His comments came after the postponement of the scheduled meeting between the Channi-led faction and Baghel.
Baghel will first meet Channi in private: Raja Vading
Speaking to reporters, Vading said that Baghel had informed him about the meeting and indicated that he would discuss separately before bringing everyone together. Vading said, “Bhupesh Baghel told me that a meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, though I am not aware of the venue or arrangements… He told me that he will talk privately first, and then we will sit for discussion… I believe you will see everyone on a common platform in the next day or two… Name one senior leader who has said that they are not ready to accept the Speaker.”
Reacting to the meeting, Congress MP Kumari Selja dismissed speculations of any major rift within the party. He said, “There is no issue. They will all meet.” The meeting is taking place amid speculations of internal differences within the Punjab Congress following the recent organizational changes in the state unit.
‘There may be differences, but Congress is united’
Earlier, senior Congress leaders including Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Pargat Singh, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurkirat Singh Kotli and Barindermeet Singh Pahda met on Thursday and tried to show unity within the party. After the meeting, Randhawa said the gathering had given a message of unity despite differences of opinion. “Today, Pargat Singh has given a clear message that there may be differences of opinion, but the Congress stands together,” Randhawa told reporters.
Pargat Singh said that the party high command has been informed and efforts are on to resolve the internal issues. “The party high command is aware of the matter. We are talking to resolve things,” he said.
Voice will continue to be raised against democracy: Rana Gurjeet
Congress MLA Rana Gurjit Singh said the meeting had boosted his morale and the leaders had “strategic discussions” on the way forward. “Congress leaders including Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Pargat Singh and others met today. The Congress party will not keep quiet. We will raise our voice against anything that goes against democracy. Today’s meeting boosted my morale. We held a strategic discussion,” Rana said.
Elaborating on the discussions, Rana said the leaders conveyed the message that the party will not remain silent on issues related to democratic principles. He said, “Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Pargat Singh, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurkeerat Kotli and Barindermeet Singh Pahda came together to meet me today and said that the Congress party will not sit silent. If there is any violation of democracy, we will have to raise our voice against it. This is the strategy that the Congress party should adopt. They have boosted my morale, and I thanked them. We were discussing whether the court There should be door knocking or some big event should be organized to address the situation.”
Rana also said that there is no impasse within the party and clarified that he has spoken to Congress Secretary Suraj Thakur but not to Bhupesh Baghel. Rana said, “I have not spoken to Baghel. As far as our secretary Suraj Thakur is concerned, I have spoken to him. Where is the deadlock? Everything is fine. No one is out of the ambit of the high command. Everything will be fine in time.”
High command’s decisions are final: Baghel
Earlier, Baghel had said that he would meet Channi and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa after they left an important party meeting. He also defended the decisions taken by the party high command, saying that they are final and cannot be changed again and again, and also supported the reappointment of Amarinder Singh Raja Wadding as Punjab Congress president. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)