Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel rules out any change in state leadership
Punjab Congress in-charge former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel also took a jibe at AAP convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
Punjab Congress in-charge and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel ruled out any change in the state leadership.
Baghel, who reached Amritsar for his first visit to the state since being made general secretary in-charge of Punjab Congress, said: “These are mere rumours. There is no reality in these reports.”
Baghel, accompanied by Punjab Congress chief and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former deputy CM OP Soni, said: “The state leadership are standing with me and have blessings of the party high command. It is the prerogative of the party high command to assign duties to the leaders. The state president and CLP leader are standing beside me and the high command has full faith in the current PPCC chief and CLP leadership. No changes are in consideration for Punjab Congress”.
Earlier, Baghel was given a warm welcome at Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport here and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. The former Chhattisgarh chief minister also paid obeisance at the Shri Durgiana temple and Bhagwan Valmiki temple at Ram Tirath.
Baghel also criticised the shackling of the deportees and said, “People who have been deported went to the US to earn a livelihood. They are not criminals, yet were deported inhumanely. This is a failure of the (PM Narendra) Modi government. President of a small country, Columbia, sent a plane to bring back its citizens with due respect. Sikh deportees’ turbans were removed.”
Baghel also criticised Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s statement justifying the US action.
Baghel also took a jibe at AAP convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
“He claims to be Kattar Imaandar. However, only 15 days after his party lost in Delhi, he is gearing up to enter Rajya Sabha. He does the politics for his own, not for Punjab, the country or Delhi. This exposes his double standards and self-serving motives, prioritising personal gains over the welfare of Punjab and Delhi,” Baghel said.
Replying to a query on alliance with AAP in the Lok Sabha polls, he said: “Congress allied with various political parties to defeat BJP. In Punjab, no alliance was formed with AAP because Congress is the main opposition party, and the state leadership opposed any alliance with the incumbent AAP. The stand proved right as Congress won seven seats.”
State unit meet today
Baghel will hold a meeting with leaders from the party’s state unit in Chandigarh on Saturday. Sources said on Friday that Baghel will meet the party MPs, MLAs and other leaders from Punjab to gather their views on a host of issues as the Congress aims to make a comeback in the state in the 2027 Assembly polls.
