CHANDIGARH: Incharge for Punjab affairs at the AICC Harish Chaudhary has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeking disciplinary action against former state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu for trying to “portray himself above the party”.
In the letter dated April 23, which surfaced on Monday, Chaudhary also forwarded a detailed note of Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring regarding Sidhu’s “current activities”.
Chaudhary noted in the letter that Sidhu relentlessly criticised the previous Congress government despite being asked not to do so.
“Ma’am president, Shri Sidhu cannot be allowed to portray himself above the party and to set an example for others to breach the party discipline,” he said.
“It is, therefore, recommended that an explanation must be sought from Shri Sidhu as to why a disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against,” wrote Chaudhary.
Chaudhary said having been the incharge of the party affairs in Punjab from November until now, he has observed that Sidhu “continuously criticised the functioning of the Congress government terming it corrupt and hand in glove with the Shiromani Akali Dal”.
“As the party was fighting the elections, it was inappropriate for Sidhu to set such a precedent. In spite of my repeated advice to Shri Sidhu to avoid such activities, he continued to speak against the government relentlessly,” wrote Chaudhary.
Chaudhary also cited an incident on the installation ceremony of Warring as the Punjab Congress chief in which Sidhu came to the party office but did not share the stage with other party leaders.
“I am forwarding Raja Warring’s detailed note regarding Sidhu’s current activities along with this letter. His actions today at the assumption of office ceremony of Shri Raja Warring are also inexcusable,” Chaudhary said.
“Shri Sidhu simply met and wished the incumbent PCC president and hurriedly left the venue whereas the entire state leadership attended the function and presented a united face to the Congress party workers,” noted Chaudhary.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday refused to make any comment on the letter but asserted that everybody has to be in discipline.
He said if anybody thinks, be it Raja Warring, that he is above the Congress party, then action should be taken against him.
Sidhu had earlier said the Congress lost the Punjab elections because of the mafia raj that prevailed in the state and it now needed to reinvent itself.
The Congress appointed Warring in place of Sidhu after its drubbing in the state Assembly polls.
For months before the elections, Sidhu had been questioning the leadership of the then chief minister Amarinder Singh. He also directed barbs at Charanjit Singh Channi, who took over as the CM ahead of the elections.
AAP stormed to power after winning 92 of 117 seats while the Congress got just 18. (PTI)
