The fissures in Punjab Congress, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, continue to widen further with party’s Moga in-charge now directing the workers not to participate in a rally that former PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is scheduled to address in the constituency on January 21.
The order has been passed by Malvika Sood Sachar, who is the sister of actor Sonu Sood and had unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Assembly elections from Moga.
Sachar’s reaction came after Sidhu shared an invite to the Moga rally from his account on X. The invite to the ‘Jittega Punjab, Jittegi Congress’ rally carries photos of state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and that of Sachar. Another Congress leader whose photo finds a prominent place on the poster is that of Maheshinder Singh, a former SAD MLA from Baghapurana.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Sachar said that she has directed workers not to participate in Sidhu’s event as she hasn’t “received any official communication from the party’s state leadership” regarding the rally.
“How can we call it a Congress rally when there’s no message or confirmation yet from state leadership? The person who is organizing the rally and sending invites with his photos (Maheshinder Singh) has no connection with Moga constituency. He belongs to Nihal Singh Wala not Moga. He also does not hold any position in Moga district Congress unit. They have not even informed or invited me or district president Sukhjit Singh Kaka Lohgarh. So, how can they use my photo on the poster? I am the incharge for Moga constituency but unaware of any such rally being organized by the party. Maheshinder Singh had also influenced people to vote for AAP during 2022 elections,” said Sachar, who had lost to AAP’s Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora in 2022 Assembly elections.
Sidhu’s parallel rallies, which continued even when party’s state affairs incharge Devender Yadav was on Punjab tour recently, have invited sharp criticism from Warring who has reiterated multiple times that “indiscipline in the party won’t be tolerated.” Yadav had also said action will be taken against those who will indulge in indiscipline.
Sidhu has been constantly missing from party’s common platforms, including the recent Jagraon rally where entire state leadership had gathered to protest against AAP government over law and order issue. He was also missing when leaders led by Yadav went to Nabha jail to meet then jailed MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. During Yadav’s tour, Sidhu held a separate closed-door meeting with him. Till now Sidhu has addressed his parallel rallies in (Bathinda) and Hoshiarpur.
Maheshinder Singh, meanwhile, claimed that several leaders also attend Sidhu’s rally on January 21.
“It is Congress’s party rally and we do not need to invite each and every one individually. Malvika Sood is no one to object to the rally or stop workers from participating as she holds no authority to do so. There’s no culture of halqa incharge in the Congress party. Moga rally would be a huge success and many of prominent faces of Congress will attend,” he said.
Meanwhile, party’s Moga unit chief Lohgarh, said that he was clueless on what has been transpiring over Sidhu’s rally in the district. “What can I say? I have simply no idea. I am keeping unwell. I have no idea who will attend the rally and who won’t,” he said.