Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 7

Senior Congress leaders led by Harish Chaudhary, incharge of the party’s affairs in Punjab, today called Amarinder Singh’s tenure as “compromised” where “party workers were ignored”.

Party leaders from Patiala, including those once considered close to Capt Amarinder Singh and his family, “vented their ire” in the former CM’s home bastion, stating that his tenure “was a failure”.

Ex-aides turn baiters

• Sadhu Singh Daharamsot and Lal Singh, once considered closest to Captain, spoke against him
• Dharamsot got perturbed when he was asked if he would stay with the Congress. “I am a dedicated party worker,” he said

Chaudhary and other leaders while addressing party workers were critical of Capt Amarinder Singh’s style of functioning. “Our MLAs and Cabinet Minister ensured that Punjab did not suffer for the past four-and a half years of the tenure,” Chaudhary said.

Later, he held a closed-door meeting with various leaders from Patiala to get the pulse. Sources privy to the discussions said “instead of sidelining or shunting out party leaders siding with Amarinder Singh, parleys will be held to ensure that they stay within the party and work for it”. Earlier senior leader Lal Singh, Hardyal Singh Kambhoj, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Madan Lal Jalalpur urged the party workers to get united before the Assembly polls.

Ex-CM was with BJP

Punjab had elected Amarinder Singh to get rid of SAD-BJP, but he rather chose to sit in the lap of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. —Harish Chaudhary, Congress

Conspicuous by their absence were PCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Cabinet Minister Brahm Mohindra, while his son Mohit Mohindra shared the stage. Patiala MP Preneet Kaur and Mayor Sanjiv Sharma Bittu were also not present at the event. Preneet Kaur however attended a couple of events in the district. She did not respond to repeated calls. Bittu has already made it clear that he would contest from Patiala rural — at present represented by Brahm Mohindra.

PCC working president Kuljit Nagra, Cabinet Minister Raj Kumar Verka, MLA Nirmal Singh Shutrana and many other leaders were present at the event. Senior leaders told The Tribune soon a decision would be taken to reshuffle the entire district Congress cadre “to ensure that the Capt Amarinder Singh stamp on the district Congress is removed”. Party leaders confessed in private that Madan Lal Jalalpur was the main man behind the Sunday’s show.