Chandigarh: Punjab Congress today called upon party members to snub “forces of disruption, distraction and sabotage” by winning the two bye-elections in the state.
This is the time for the party in the state to rise unitedly and work for the attainment of a single objective of making Congress victorious in the two seats of Patiala and Talwandi Sabo, where bypolls will be held on August 21, party president in the state Partap Singh Bajwa said in a statement here.
“This task is not difficult keeping in view the tsunami of anger among the people against the mafia rule, brazen corruption and the drug menace that are eating into the vitals of the Punjabi society,” Bajwa said.
“As a first step, the Congressmen should project the image of cohesiveness and unitedly work for the defeat of Akali Dal in Patiala and Talwandi Sabo bye-elections,” he added.
In an apparent attack on senior party leader Jagmit Singh Brar over his remarks against party's senior leadership, Bajwa said, “As evident from the latest activities of certain disgruntled, discontented and frustrated forces, a design is at work to sabotage Congress at every level and the party men will have to remain alert against such elements and confront them with full force.”
“It is not for the first time that such forces have become active against the party and its leadership. These people believe in immediate gains and this has been the only factor that has been dictating their politics,” he said.
Party men should snub “forces of disruption, distraction and sabotage” by winning the two bye-elections and strengthening the hands of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he said.
Attacking the ruling Akali Dal, Bajwa alleged that after having failed to keep its promises of taking Punjab to higher orbit of development, the party had reverted to a “panthic agenda” and this reflects the utter frustration of the SAD-BJP alliance.
“It is not without reason that BJP, the alliance partner of Shiromani Akali Dal, has raised the banner of revolt and the two parties parting company is not ruled out as that will be the only option left with BJP when further pushed to the wall,” he said, apparently referring to SAD recently asking BJP MLA Anil Joshi not to politicise the matter after the Punjab government decided to rollback the ‘advance tax on stock'.
Patiala Assembly seat was vacated by Amarinder Singh after he his election to Lok Sabha from Amritsar. The Talwandi Sabo seat fell vacant after sitting Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu deserted the party to join SAD.
