Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. File pic/Facebook
Warring on Wednesday said the state unit has not been told by the party high command about any tie-up or seat sharing in the state. He asserted that the Congress, which is the main opposition party in Punjab, has been forcefully raising issues concerning the people of the state
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday said the state unit is confident that the party high command will not take any decision on an electoral tie-up with the AAP for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls without its consent. Warring reiterated that the national leadership has told the state unit to prepare for fighting all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.
Punjab Congress leaders on Tuesday voiced strong reservations against any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state for the next general elections. The state unit leaders also asked Warring and the leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa to apprise the Congress high command of the sentiments of the party leaders and workers against any such move.
Replying to a question on forming an alliance in Punjab, Warring on Wednesday said the state unit has not been told by the party high command about any tie-up or seat sharing in the state. He asserted that the Congress, which is the main opposition party in Punjab, has been forcefully raising issues concerning the people of the state.
”We have been asked (by the party high command) to prepare for the 13 Lok Sabha seats, said Warring while speaking to reporters here. Warring said despite the Congress and the AAP becoming part of the INDIA bloc, the state leaders in Punjab have been staging ’dharnas’ against the AAP government over several issues.
”We are playing the role of opposition against the government and are preparing for the 13 seats. We have not been told by the party high command about any alliance or seat sharing in the state, added Warring. Asked if the party high command decides to have an alliance in Punjab, Warring said, ”The high command is the supreme authority. What the party high command says will happen.” ”But we have full confidence that the party high command will not take any decision without our consent,” asserted the Punjab Congress chief.
On September 1, the INDIA bloc, in its Mumbai meeting, resolved to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together ”as far as possible”, asserting seat-sharing arrangements in states will be concluded at the earliest in a ”collaborative spirit of give-and-take”. The opposition coalition leaders set up a 14-member coordination committee that will act as the highest decision-making body of the alliance and initiate work on seat sharing. It also exuded confidence that the new front would easily defeat the BJP.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)