Jalandhar : New Punjab CabinetThe Doaba region may have got its fair share, but it has also given rise to a group of legislators and major conflicts as a former state. Congress the president is protesting Rana Gurjit Singhheight of.
Last minute efforts were made by these MLAs from Doaba region to stop the appointment on Sunday as four of them met the Punjab Congress President. Navjot Singh Sidhu at his residence in Patiala, but he did not succeed.
The bitterness is expected to persist and the state government may also face questions over the move.
The four MLAs who met Sidhu are: Navtej Singh Cheema from Sultanpur Lodhi, Bawa Henry from Jalandhar North, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal from Phagwara and Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Bholath. The letter also had names of former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Mohinder Singh Kaypi, former Punjab minister and MP, Chabbewal MLA Raj Kumar and Sham Chaurasai MLA Pawan Adhia.
After the meeting, Khaira said there was a great feeling among party workers and legislators that after Rana’s induction they would face questions, especially when some ministers, against whom allegations were made, were dropped and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had said that no one involved in sand mining should see him. He said that Sidhu told him that he would take his word to the high command.
Khaira’s bitterness with Rana is well known. The former leader, as the then Leader of the Opposition, played a major role in pressuring Captain Amarinder Singh’s government to allegedly use the frontman in the auction of the sand mining site. Other leaders and legislators in the group also have their reasons.
While Kapi, whose name was at the top of the letter, did not pick up the phone, sources said he was complaining against Rana as the latter had supported his protege Sushil Rinku to get a ticket from Jalandhar West in 2017. , where earlier KP used to contest elections. Kapi was transferred to Adampur, from where he was defeated. Rana has two other dependents – Shahkot MLA Balwinder Singh Ladhi Sherowalia and Khadoor Sahib MLA Ramandeep Singh Sikki.
Navtej Cheema, whose constituency neighbors Rana’s Kapurthala region, is also not a fan of the reappointed minister. He also felt that by giving Rana a chance again, even though the Congress high command had earlier not allowed him to rejoin, the chance for his rise in future would also be reduced. Both Rana and Cheema were clearly in Amarinder’s camp when internal fighting was going on.
Sources said Phagwara MLA Dhaliwal felt that Rana was backing former minister Joginder Singh Mann, who is contesting for ticket in the upcoming elections. The argument of these MLAs was that some Scheduled Caste MLA from Doaba region should be taken in place of Rana Gurjit Singh. “When Punjab CM had said that no illegal sand mining would be allowed, how would we face people’s questions on their upliftment?” Henry said.
Last minute efforts were made by these MLAs from Doaba region to stop the appointment on Sunday as four of them met the Punjab Congress President. Navjot Singh Sidhu at his residence in Patiala, but he did not succeed.
The bitterness is expected to persist and the state government may also face questions over the move.
The four MLAs who met Sidhu are: Navtej Singh Cheema from Sultanpur Lodhi, Bawa Henry from Jalandhar North, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal from Phagwara and Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Bholath. The letter also had names of former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Mohinder Singh Kaypi, former Punjab minister and MP, Chabbewal MLA Raj Kumar and Sham Chaurasai MLA Pawan Adhia.
After the meeting, Khaira said there was a great feeling among party workers and legislators that after Rana’s induction they would face questions, especially when some ministers, against whom allegations were made, were dropped and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had said that no one involved in sand mining should see him. He said that Sidhu told him that he would take his word to the high command.
Khaira’s bitterness with Rana is well known. The former leader, as the then Leader of the Opposition, played a major role in pressuring Captain Amarinder Singh’s government to allegedly use the frontman in the auction of the sand mining site. Other leaders and legislators in the group also have their reasons.
While Kapi, whose name was at the top of the letter, did not pick up the phone, sources said he was complaining against Rana as the latter had supported his protege Sushil Rinku to get a ticket from Jalandhar West in 2017. , where earlier KP used to contest elections. Kapi was transferred to Adampur, from where he was defeated. Rana has two other dependents – Shahkot MLA Balwinder Singh Ladhi Sherowalia and Khadoor Sahib MLA Ramandeep Singh Sikki.
Navtej Cheema, whose constituency neighbors Rana’s Kapurthala region, is also not a fan of the reappointed minister. He also felt that by giving Rana a chance again, even though the Congress high command had earlier not allowed him to rejoin, the chance for his rise in future would also be reduced. Both Rana and Cheema were clearly in Amarinder’s camp when internal fighting was going on.
Sources said Phagwara MLA Dhaliwal felt that Rana was backing former minister Joginder Singh Mann, who is contesting for ticket in the upcoming elections. The argument of these MLAs was that some Scheduled Caste MLA from Doaba region should be taken in place of Rana Gurjit Singh. “When Punjab CM had said that no illegal sand mining would be allowed, how would we face people’s questions on their upliftment?” Henry said.
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