All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Punjab Harish Chaudhary has written to party president Sonia Gandhi, recommending that the party seek an explanation from former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu for “portraying himself above the party and setting an example for others to break party discipline”.
The letter dated April 23 surfaced on Monday. Mr. Chaudhary forwarded a detailed note by Punjab PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Mr. Sidhu’s “current activities”.
No comment
Mr. Warring refused to comment on the letter but asserted that “everybody has to maintain discipline”.
The letter was written a day after Mr. Warring took charge as the new PCC chief, but has surfaced just days after Mr. Sidhu tweeted his selfie with Prashant Kishor, after negotiations between the Congress and the poll strategist broke down.
Noting that Mr. Sidhu relentlessly criticised the previous Congress government in the State despite being told not to do so, Mr. Chaudhary wrote, “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”.
“It is, therefore, recommended that an explanation must be sought from Shri Sidhu as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him,” he added in his letter.
Mr. Chaudhary noted that from the time he took charge as the AICC in-charge for Punjab, Mr. Sidhu has “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 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,” Mr. Chaudhary said.
‘Ignored party leaders’
The AICC leader also mentioned that on the day Mr. Warring took charge as the Punjab Congress chief, Mr. Sidhu visited 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 at the assumption of office ceremony of Shri Raja Warring are also inexcusable. 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,” Mr. Chaudhary said in the letter.
