Chandigarh: Trouble continues to brew in Punjab Congress with party MLA from Gidderbaha Amarinder Singh Raja alleging on Monday that state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been “weakening Congress and strengthening Shiromani Akali Dal for months”.
He alleged in a tweet that Badal has handed over a cheque of Rs 15 lakh to the zone in charge of the SAD. The fresh trouble in Congress has come amid efforts by the Congress high command to quell factionalism ahead of assembly polls early next year.
Raja urged party leader Rahul Gandhi to take action against Manpreet Badal and sought his resignation.
“Punjab’s Finance Minister is busy distributing people’s money to the Akalis who ruined Punjab. @MSBADAL has been running this programme to weaken Congress and strengthen Akali Dal for months. @RahulGandhi, it is requested that disciplinary action should be taken and he should be asked to resign,” Raja said and attached some photographs.
Raja also made the allegations in a Facebook post and said that he is disheartened to see Manpreet Baadal “distributing cheques worth Rs 15 lakh to the members of the Akali Dal ‘shamelessly”.
“Just to remind, these are the same people of Akali Dal, who hail from the party of your tayaji, whom you left to be a part of Congress. Congress has given you everything, the whole universe! Then why are you back-stabbing?”
“Remember the wise words that supporting Akali Dal while having official ties with Congress won’t fetch you anything. This will ruin your political career and no Punjabi will ever forget it or forgive you,” he added.
The MLA said the minister’s “so-called efforts” for four years have forced the public to question and oppose him.
“The recent news of Punjab employees raising their voice in your area isn’t unknown! Almost all the Congress party workers today are very well aware of your 75-25 game and strategy. The rest of those who are still unaware of it must open their eyes and stay cautious!” Raja said.
The Congress high-command has over the past few weeks made efforts to find a solution to the factionalism including differences between Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
The central leadership is seeking to bring about changes in the state unit by keeping the Chief Minister in the loop while also looking at a balance in terms of caste and community.