JALANDHAR/CHANDIGARH: Even as Congress president Sonia Gandhi-appointed three-member panel has already set deadlines for Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to fulfil poll promises, Rahul Gandhi on Friday continued to hold one-on one interactions with Congress leaders from Punjab to get their feedback.
Among the leaders who called by his office were Rajya Sabha member Shamsher Singh Dullo, Punjab ministers Brahm Mohindra and Vijay Inder Singla, MLAs Rana Gujit Singh and Lakhbir Singh Lakha, Punjab Mandi Board chairman Lal Singh, Punjab Congress general secretary and the CM’s adviser Captain Sandeep Sandhu.
Meanwhile, state Congress circles are surprised at Rahul continuing the exercise after AICC general secretary and party affairs in-charge Harish Rawat announced the deadlines given to the Punjab CM and stating that Congress president would take a decision in second week of July.
Already, the three-member panel has taken feedback from all ministers, MLAs, MPs and other Congress leaders and Rahul has also met over a dozen ministers and MLAs to get the feedback.
Dullo, a known Capt Amarinder Singh baiter, said he asked Rahul for a ‘surgical strike’ in Punjab Congress so that the situation can be improved and the party survives in Punjab.
“I told him that things can still be managed if poll promises like sacrilege cases, controlling different mafias should be fulfilled so that at least we can have face saving,” he told TOI after the meeting.
“The party needs to get rid of party hoppers and mafias.
Even illegal factories of liquor have been operating in Punjab and the real culprits running it have still not faced action.
I told him that even a few ministers in the present Punjab government have come from other parties and this has led to traditional party workers being side-lined,” he said.
“I also asked for caste balance in the government and pointed out that only a minority caste has been ruling the state and now also it is their infighting,” he added.
Dullo has been critical of his own party’s government.
“Turncoats have come to the Congress, but they should stand in the queue and not sit on our heads.
Half of the cabinet consists of turncoats.
It depends on the chief minister.
The CM himself has switched many parties, it’s not his fault,” he said.
“We have come to make sure that the party does well.
Those who have been traditional Congressmen will always stand by the party during the time of crisis,” he added.
Asked about the 18-point agenda given to the chief minister by the AICC to act with deadlines, Dullo said there should be action on liquor mafia and CBI inquiry into the scholarship scam.
“We have made the party leadership aware about the situation in Punjab.
Maybe the CM has called Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
Lakha said, “Whatever issues are being looked into by the high command and the leadership will come out with its decision soon and we will all accept it.”