Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 12

In yet another attempt to quell dissent within the Punjab Congress, four more Cabinet Ministers, namely Gurpreet Kangar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Vijay Inder Singla, have demanded suspension, if not expulsion, of Navjot Singh Sidhu as his acts amounted to “open rebellion” against the party.

Minister Kangar, who was present in a meeting held a few days ago at the residence of minister Sukhjinder Randhawa, distanced himself from the meeting. He said he had gone there for some work. Only two days ago, three other ministers — Brahm Mohindra, Sunder Sham Arora and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot — had urged the party high command to take strict disciplinary action against Sidhu for anti-party activities.

Minister Vijay Inder Singla said the disciplinary committee of the party should take action against the MPs, ministers and MLAs who speak against the leadership.

Political circles in the party viewed it as an attempt by the Chief Minister’s camp to create a split among the ministers and MLAs who were “inching” towards Sidhu or were forming a front against the Chief Minister over sacrilege and other issues. The Chief Minister’s camp and those opposed to it are trying to ensure that more MLAs speak in their favour.

Incidentally, the PPCC statement has not taken note of the ministers, MPs and MLAs who are not only regrouping to exert pressure on the Chief Minister for speedy action in sacrilege and police firing cases but have also held meetings with Navjot Singh Sidhu. The Congress high command had also failed to take note of disciplinary action demanded by the Cabinet and the PPCC president against MPs Partap Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo, who had chose to target the Chief Minister after last year’s hooch tragedy in the state.

MP Partap Bajwa has already said the Chief Minister should call a meeting of the CLP and listen to the views of MLAs on the emotive subject.

“Instead of targeting Sidhu and creating divisions among ministers and MLAs, the seven ministers who are targeting Sidhu should prevail upon the Chief Minister to full the poll promises and correct the narrative against the party,” said a senior party MLA.

Meanwhile, amid efforts by the CM camp to quell dissidence, at least five — MLAs Gurkirat Kotli, Sukhpal Bhullar, Navtej Cheema, GP Singh and Inderbir Bolaria — and at least three ministers — Tript Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria and Balbir Sidhu — are learnt to have held a meeting in the evening in favour of the Chief Minister.

Dullo questions timing of Dalit MLAs’ meet

Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dullo on Wednesday questioned the timing of a meeting by Dalit MLAs over the non-implementation of government schemes. “For the past four and a half years, Dalit leaders didn’t question the Chief Minister over the issues of the community and now they suddenly raked up the issue when reports of a Cabinet reshuffle or changing the PPCC president are surfacing,” he said.