Cong MLA’s absence at toll plaza protest raises eyebrows

Ludhiana: As all Congress MLAs and councillors tried to present a picture of unity by supporting their party MP Ravneet Bittu in staging a protest at the toll plaza, and keeping it closed for almost two days, the absence of Rakesh Pandey — the Congress MLA from North constituency — raised several eyebrows. Pandey did not join in the protest on both the days. While other MLAs, including cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, camped at the plaza on Friday night, Pandey did not appear even once.
It is not the first time Pandey has given a miss to a programme organized by the district Congress leadership, especially MP Ravneet Bittu. At the time MC was about to dismantle illegal structures near Jagraon Bridge for reconstruction, Bittu and other leaders had gone to the area to convince encroachers to leave the place. Even at that time, Pandey did not go to the spot, despite the area being in his constituency. And recently, Pandey also demanded a ticket for contesting the MP elections from Ludhiana constituency.

When asked about his absence from the protest, Pandey said: “I did not receive any message from Congress MP Ravneet Bittu to reach there. Moreover, I do not believe in becoming a part of any type of activity that inculcates wrong habits among people.” Bittu, on the other hand, however, said: “The protest was for the cause of public welfare, so MLA Pandey should have come on his own.” He said he had not sent official invites to other MLAs as well.

In the protest, Congress MLA from East (Sanjay Talwar), from Central constituency (Surinder Dawar), and Gill constituency (Kuldeep Vaid) had come. But apart from Pandey, even councillors from his group did not go there, except district Congress president Ashwani Sharma.

‘Not informed about budget meeting’

Congress MLA Rakesh Pandey claimed he and his group of councillors were unaware of the MC budget meeting, and were not delivered the meeting’s agenda. He said this is the reason councillors from North constituency did not attend the meeting. On the other hand, MC secretary Tajinder Panchi denied the allegation, and said they had circulated the agenda to everybody before the meeting.