Under the leadership of Punjab Congress in-charge Devendra Yadav, a second-day meeting continues Wednesday, focusing on coordinators for block heads and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Stressing full readiness for the 2024 elections, Yadav confirmed the party’s preparedness to contest on 13 seats and pledged to present the meeting’s outcomes to the party’s higher echelons.
On the topic of seat allocation between Punjab Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with discussions centered on 7 and 6 seats respectively, Yadav mentioned the absence of concrete information. Regarding Navjot Singh Sidhu’s attendance, he clarified the lack of invitation for the day’s session.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, a Congress leader, implied alignment of programs with the leadership’s vision, stressing the importance of actions in line with party ethics. He emphasized the imperative of maintaining integrity, warning of repercussions for any disparaging comments against Congress members on stage.
While confirming no discussions or calls with AAP from the high command, Raja Warring indicated a plan to convey seat division details upon Rahul Gandhi’s communication, underscoring the supreme authority of the party’s top leadership.
The meeting, including 11 Congress leaders, observed a lack of participation from prominent figures like former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and ex-minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, indicative of evolving dynamics under the new Punjab in-charge. The interface intends to fortify trust within the party by fostering direct interactions with leaders.
Meanwhile, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Charanjit Singh Channi distanced themselves from the meeting, citing ongoing discussions concerning seat-sharing issues between the high command and AAP.
Amid dissent over AAP alliances, discontent against Navjot Singh Sidhu’s activities surfaced during the initial meeting. Key leaders expressed dissatisfaction, indicating unease within the party over AAP affiliations.
Senior Congress members voiced concerns over compromising the party’s opposition status in the state by aligning with the ruling party directly. They stressed the ease of winning 6 to 7 seats independently, suggesting potential harm from an AAP alliance.