Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 27
A day after 15 ministers were inducted into the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government, developments on Monday suggested all was not well within the Punjab Congress.
As MLAs ignored in the Cabinet expansion are anxiously weighing the political options before them, PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is said to be perturbed over the choice of some of the ministers.
Cabinet expansion fallout
- MLAs ignored during the Cabinet expansion are reportedly weighing political options
- Doaba MLAs have sought removal of tainted ministers
- Captain Amarinder will be in New Delhi in coming days and may meet Sonia Gandhi
On the other hand, some of the disgruntled leaders from Majha and Doaba are said to be in touch with former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, who has already expressed his annoyance with the party high command over the manner in which he was “unceremoniously” removed. He has labelled the Gandhi siblings as “inexperienced”, who were being misguided by their advisers.
The former CM, who has said he was keeping his political options open, will be in Delhi in the coming days and is expected to meet party president Sonia Gandhi, besides holding crucial meetings with other leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, relating to the central farm laws, it is learnt.
An MLA from the Doaba region, considered to be a Captain loyalist, and another from Malwa said regrouping had begun but lack of clarity on the changing political equations at this juncture was delaying decision making.
“We are discussing the issue. But we are lying low as of now. A clear picture will emerge by the end of next month,” said another MLA from Malwa.
“After the resignation of Capt Amarinder Singh and Channi taking over, at least three power centres appear to have emerged in the party by default or have been purposely created by the party high command to keep checks and balances,” pointed out a senior party leader.
A group of Doaba region MLAs, who met the PCC president yesterday, has sought removal of all tainted ministers inducted into the Channi Cabinet. Sources said SC MLAs were disturbed as no face from the community had been picked from the Doaba region.
Sidhu’s associate Pargat Singh has made it to the Cabinet, but his other two choices — Amargarh MLA Surjit Dhiman and Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Nagra — were left out.
Already two former ministers — Balbir Singh Sidhu and Gurpreet Kangar — have expressed dissent over being left out. Faridkot MLA Khushaldeep Singh Dhillon has pointed out the regional imbalance in western Malwa had been disturbed in the Cabinet expansion. The western Malwa is the epicentre of sacrilege and subsequent police firing incidents, he has pointed out.
Government in saddle, but no end to Cong rumblings
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