CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress leaders in a meeting at the new AICC headquarters in Delhi batted for a micro-management plan and stressed on the need to strengthen the organisation at the grassroot levels to expose the AAP-led Punjab government.
After the Punjab political affairs committee meeting, Bhupesh Baghel, the Congress general secretary in-charge of party affairs in Punjab, said there was an exodus in AAP in the state.
He also added that its boat was about to sink.
"We discussed ways to strengthen the organisation at the grassroot level, according to the AICC's directions. The Congress is very strong in Punjab, but there is a need for micro-management. We gave a message of making the party strong and everyone spoke freely," he said.
He said the leaders from Punjab would meet on March 18 and again later this month.
Another meeting will be held in April to help strengthen the organisation and sharpen the attack on the AAP government.
Bhagel said, "In the next meeting, the state unit will prepare its agenda against the Punjab government that will be taken to the booth level. There would be a training programme for party leaders, and booth committees would be formed. We will be fighting for issues related to farmers, youngsters, women, Dalits, and drugs-related matters."
"We will also prepare an agenda on Punjab's issues and against the government. Booth-level committees will also be formed and a training programme for our workers will be held," he added.
Baghel dismissed rumors of an internal report submitted to the Congress president on the party's Punjab affairs.
"This is a total rumour and has no truth in such things," he said.
Hitting out at the AAP-led Punjab Government for holding a short budget session from March 21 to 28, Baghel said, "This shows that AAP does not believe in democracy. The budget session is never held for seven to eight days. The AAP government is not allowing the MLAs to ask questions,‘’ he said.
The meeting was attended by several state leaders, including leader of opposition Pratap Bajwa and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, besides others.
Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu did not attend the meeting despite being invited.
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said that the delimitation plan was also discussed at the meeting.
“A committee will be formed in this regard to discuss the implications of the move. It will be taken up at the national level. We fought the biggest battle for independence in the country. Our identity was ‘jai jawaan, jai kissan’.
He said Punjab would be at a loss in the delimitation exercise as it followed family planning goals.
“Since Punjab controlled its birth rate, it will be at a disadvantage if delimitation is done with the current formula. Seats of the state will rise in a lesser proportion of the overall Lok Sabha as compared to other states," he said.
"This is a conspiracy to end our traditional existence. All leaders of Punjab will stand against this Central government’s move,’’ he said.