Navjot Sidhu
should now reconcile to fact of Channi being the Chief Minister
Ground Zero
Jagtar Singh
As Punjab
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, on a short lease of life, was moving
fast forward to change the narrative in the state by making two major
announcements by way of relief in power bills to people almost across the board
and the hike for state government employees and pensioners, Pradesh Congress
chief Navjot Singh Sidhu a less than a km away and around the same time was
launching sharp attack on him without mentioning his name.
He was
questioning the very rationale of reduction of power rates and other similar
initiatives that were being announced by Channi to at least partially offset strong incumbency against the state government
rooted mainly in non-governance by his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh who announced
his new party Punjab Lok Congress on twitter today.
In his
veiled attack, Sidhu also talked of Punjab in search of a capable leader who
could be the Deliverer and said the people would elect the one in the forthcoming
Assembly election due in February 2022, causing strong tremors in the party
right upto Delhi.
Both Channi and
Sidhu were directed to rush to Congress general secretary Harish Rawat in
Dehradun in the morning. Rawat has been looking after Punjab affairs for a long
time. They were accompanied by Harish Chaudhary, the present Punjab affairs
incharge and Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh. All of them later went to
Kedarnath shrine to pay obeisance. Both Channi and Sidhu tweeted pics of the visit.
However, the
damage had already been done. Now the opposition leaders are quoting Sidhu to
corner Channi.
Sidhu, it is
apparent, articulates opposition to Channi better than even the opposition
leaders.
It seems he is
still to compromise to the fact of Charanjit Singh Channi having been elevated
as the Chief Minister after at least three aspirants were dropped one after the
other, including Sidhu.
A low
profile minister earlier, Channi as the chief minister has surprised everyone
with his pro-people approach after taking over.
Going by the
past framework, election is likely to be announced any time in December and as
such, the Channi government has practically just four weeks to perform.
This
government is not supposed, even can’t, go in for any long-term solution to the
issues concerning the state and has to focus more on election winning strategy
and take decisions accordingly, mainly to fulfil the main promises made to the
people in 2017 that the Amarinder government failed to do.
The relief
on the power front was one such promise and the announcement has rattled the
opposition parties including AAP and the Shiromani Akali Dal. AAP had started
the election campaign with party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal offering 300 units of free power to every consumer and the Akali Dal raised
the stakes to 400 units. It is in this context that the decision to provide relief
at the rate of Rs 3 per unit is significant at the political level. Both these
parties would have to now rework this promise.
The issue
with the Congress in the state at the moment is to repeat 2017, victory even if
not that mandate. Channi has been emerging as the face for 2022 polls with his
Aam Aadmi style that has been liked by the people.
The
present pattern of offsetting political gains resulting from the
government initiative by the state Congress chief has to discontinue and it is
for the party’s central leadership to work it out.
In case the
present mess continues, the party should rule out expecting political gain from
the change by way of replacement of Capt Amarinder Singh by Charanjit Singh
Channi.
The time
period is too short for Channi and Sidhu. The party must give out clear and strong
signal not by more than the end of this weak that the Congress in Punjab does
not face any alignment problem and should go to the arena as a cohesive unit.
The pilgrimage
to Kedarnath otherwise would have no significance.
The people
at large should feel the change in the functioning of the state Congress at the grassroots.
This would
mean more than clearing up the present mess.
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