Chandigarh: After days of keeping its distance from Punjab Congress affairs in charge Bhupesh Baghel, the Charanjit Singh Channi camp on Thursday relented and decided to “collectively” meet him and place their grievances. But they insist Pradesh Congress Committee president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring shouldn’t be at the meeting.Sources say the Channi camp is sticking to its demand to have Warring replaced. Just how the high command will bridge this divide isn’t clear yet. Baghel told TOI that he spoke with Channi, former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh on the phone on Thursday and described them as “valuable assets” of the party. “They have served Congress for a long time. Their concerns will be heard,” he said, adding however that the party high command’s decision won’t change. The embattled Warring said: “Any number of members can meet (Baghel). They are like family. All the senior functionaries are in touch with Baghel and we are united.” Expressing confidence that the dispute would be resolved, MLA Pargat Singh — who attended the Channi camp meeting on Thursday and was key in persuading them to meet Baghel — said that all Congress functionaries would ultimately work together to ensure the party’s victory in the 2027 assembly elections. “Our biggest challenge is to counter AAP and BJP. The issues facing Punjab are much bigger than our internal differences,” he said. The breakthrough came a day after Baghel delivered a strong message that the decision taken by Congress high command to retain Warring as state party president would not be revisited. No pressure works on the party high command. Once the high command has taken a decision, it will not be changed. Is it a gudda-guddi ka khel (child’s play)?” he said on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Channi camp met at the residence of Rana Gurjeet Singh to discuss the next course of action. The gathering included Channi, Randhawa, Pargat Singh and Bharat Bhushan Ashu. Pargat is said to have played a key role at the meeting in building consensus for opening direct talks with Baghel. According to sources, the group decided that none of them would present their views individually. Instead, they will collectively place their concerns before Baghel. “We will meet Baghel on Friday or Saturday, subject to availability of all the members, and collectively present concerns,” a partyman from the Channi group told TOI. Sources said they will explain why they object to Warring’s continuation as PCC chief — they feel he no longer enjoys broad acceptance among party workers and voters. Sources said several members of the Channi faction felt Baghel “sided with Warring” rather than remaining neutral. After meeting Baghel, the leaders will also seek meetings with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal. Even as both camps maintained their public positions, hectic back-channel efforts continued. AICC secretary and Punjab co-in charge Suraj Singh Thakur, Punjab Congress working president Raj Kumar Verka and Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla remained engaged with the dissenters. They also remained in touch with Congress high command and worked to persuade the dissenters to meet Baghel. At the Channi camp meeting, Pargat’s position that the party was witnessing “differences of opinion rather than divisions” was endorsed by other seniors, including Randhawa and Rana Gurjeet Singh. After the meeting, Pargat told mediapersons that differences of opinion existed within the party but the high command was “kept informed throughout”. “We will meet Bhupesh Baghel and apprise him of our concerns,” Pargat said. Randhawa also sought to play down suggestions of a major rift, saying: “There is no resentment within the party. The Congress leadership has given a very clear message that while there may be differences of opinion, we remain united. We will move forward in a positive manner and strengthen the party.” Rana Gurjeet Singh also underlined that differences of opinion were natural in a democratic organisation. “There is internal democracy in Congress. Every voice has value. There is no dictatorship as in BJP or AAP,” he said, adding: “No one is outside the high command and no one is above the high command.” On the demand for a reconsideration of the appointments, he maintained that the group was not opposing the high command but merely placing its views before them. He also dismissed suggestions of any deadlock within the party, saying, “All is well.” MSID:: 132287794 413 |
