CHANDIGARH: Even as uncertainty persists over whom will it back, Captain Amarinder Singh or his challenger Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress leadership on Wednesday handed down a tough “to do” list to the Punjab chief minister.
In an unusual public show of assertiveness, Congress general secretary in-charge Harish Rawat said the Kharge panel had assigned the chief minister a whole range of tasks — from curbing drug menace to finding a solution to sacrilege cases to taking action against the sand and transport mafia covering about 18 issues — and asked him to finish the tasks in a time-bound manner.
“The CM has agreed to implement these 18 issues raised by the party.
It’s not that work has not been done in the state.
Issues like power purchase agreements (PPAs) — where pacts with a couple of firms are being scrapped, rest are being examined in a way that power supply is not affected,” said Rawat, a member of the Kharge panel set up by Sonia to look into infighting in Punjab Congress.
The committee had met Amarinder on Tuesday.
Told CM to find solution to Bargari issue: RawatSidhu has repeatedly attacked Captain for not fulfilling tasks, all part of the party’s manifesto in the 2017 polls.
In his recent interaction with the media, Sidhu even made it clear that if ‘people’s agenda’ was implemented, he didn’t want any position in the party or government.
It is not common for Congress to publicly remind its chief minister of non-fulfilment of poll promises.
Rawat’s extraordinary intervention came during an ongoing exercise that has seen Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge asking Punjab MLAs to rate Amarinder and Sidhu.
Party president Sonia Gandhi will take a call on revamp of the Punjab Congress and the cabinet early next month, Rawat said.
“The committee has submitted its report on the organisation and political issues and the Congress president is likely to take a decision by July 8-10,” said Rawat after his meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi even as the latter met Punjab leaders for the third day consecutively.
No details of Rahul’s discussions with MLAs, MPs and ministers were revealed by the Congress but those who met him indicated that he was asking everyone a variety of questions (see box).
Amarinder returned to Chandigarh without meeting with Sonia or Rahul in Delhi.
When questioned why Rahul did not meet the chief minister, Rawat said, “Leaders are being given appointments wherever necessary by Rahul Gandhi.
There’s nothing like that.
The panel spoke in detail to over 150 leaders and a comprehensive report has been submitted.
Sonia Gandhi will make a decision shortly.” The Punjab CM has been given clear deadlines on certain issues and has been asked for time-bound implementation, based on what came up during the interactions.
“For instance, Bargari is an emotional issue in Punjab, and we respect the sentiments of people.
We have told the chief minister to find a solution to it within the perimeters of public sentiment and also the law,” he said.
“The issues about Dalits like loan waivers and scholarships will be taken care of.
The CM will hold a press conference in Chandigarh to share the details,” said Rawat.
“To make sure that people get sand at affordable prices, we will act against the mafia.
It was our promise.
We have conveyed this to the chief minister, and he said he will get the legal aspects examined and take action.” Amarinder, who had popularized ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ slogan in 2017, has been asked to fulfill the shortfall in the promise of one lakh jobs per year.
The panel also asked the CM to ensure free 200 units of power per urban household in the state.
“Power is a big issue.
People in urban areas have complained of being ignored.
The AICC has instructed the chief minister to ensure free 200 units of power per urban household.
We have also sought action on delivery of SC scholarships, and loan waivers for the underprivileged and Dalits, besides regularisation of the land under their possession in a timebound manner,” Rawat said.
The Congress manifesto for the 2017 polls had promised a minimum of 300 units of electricity free to all families of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.” On the drugs issue, Punjab has taken strong action against those involved and those left will be tackled, he said.
“Bargari and drug issues cannot be weighed in terms of percentage.
Otherwise, the Punjab government has a good record of fulfilling 95% of the poll promises,” Rawat said.