Ashu, Warring rift causes flutter in Cong ahead of West bypoll

Ludhiana: The Congress's declaration of Bharat Bhushan Ashu as candidate for Ludhiana West bypolls has brought the rift between him and PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring to the fore.
On Saturday night, Warring visited Ashu's residence with other Congress leaders but returned after some time as Ashu was said to be out somewhere. This also led to a controversy, with the Warring camp claiming that Ashu had been informed about the visit and Ashu maintaining that he had no prior information.
A few Congress leaders close to Raja Warring said that he was supposed to join Saturday's press conference conducted by senior Congress leaders after the formal announcement of Ashu's name for the by-elections. They said that the press conference was scheduled for 6pm but was rescheduled to 4pm without any prior information. On the other hand, the Ashu team is accusing Raja Warring of deliberately trying to sabotage the elections over personal issues with Ashu by calling media persons to Ashu's residence during his visit.
The fact that Ashu and Warring do not see eye to eye is not lost on anyone in the party. They have done little to cover up the animosity. Warring failed to turn up to welcome Ashu when he came out of jail after his acquittal in Vigilance cases and Ashu skipped the meeting called by Warring for selection of the mayor.
On Saturday, Raja Warring returned from Ashu's residence without meeting him and on Sunday, he visited the house of Ashu's loyalist, former councillor Baljinder Singh Bunty's residence. In an FB post, Warring said that he went to Bunty's house to check on his ailing wife.
A Congress leader associated with Bharat Bhushan Ashu said, "This was a deliberate act to sabotage the election. No intimation was given to Ashu about Warring's visit to his residence. Moreover, they intentionally called media persons there to create speculation and controversy."
A member of the Warring camp countered, "Initially, Raja Warring and other Congress leaders, who were absent from the press conference, were supposed to join. The time for the PC was 6pm. However, without any intimation, it was rescheduled to 4pm. Ashu was also informed about Raja Warring's visit but he did not meet him. After that, no effort was made to fix a meeting again."
We stand united: Ashu & Warring
When contacted, Bharat Bhushan Ashu said, "All Congress leaders and workers have to be united for these elections. We will raise each other with the help of each other. So any party worker or leader, including Raja Warring, is most welcome to be part of the campaign. People are unnecessarily trying to make a controversy."
When Warring was coming out of Ashu's residence on Staurday evening, mediapersons asked about the poll strategy they had prepared. To this, Warring said, "We could not discuss a poll strategy as Ashu was not available." On being asked if he had been informed about the visit, Warring said, "Yes, a message had been delivered but he must have got caught up somewhere."
Warring also asserted that as PPCC chief, he wanted every Congress candidate to win by a wide margin and asserted that he would work hard to ensure Ashu's victory. Replying to a question on groupism and factionalism in the Congress, he maintained that there were no rifts and all leaders as well as workers were united.
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