Chandigarh, March 15
Several Congress candidates on Tuesday blamed indiscipline in the party and its senior leaders, including Charanjit Singh Channi, for the crushing defeat in the Punjab Assembly polls.
The Congress leaders said this interacting with the media as AICC in-charge for Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary called a meeting to introspect on the party’s defeat.
Chaudhary met party candidates and said the meeting was called to find the reasons behind the party’s defeat.
Outgoing Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and party’s state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were also present at the Punjab Congress office. However, both refused to talk to the media.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who won from Gidderbaha seat, blamed indiscipline for the party’s rout in the elections.
“There was indiscipline in the party. People of Punjab felt that we are somewhere non-serious. There were several reasons but it was one of them,” said Warring.
Replying to a question, Warring said anybody who created indiscipline should be “thrown out of the party”.
Darshan Brar, who lost from Baghapurana, blamed statements of Charanjit Singh Channi and Sunil Jakhar for hurting prospects of the Congress.
He expressed his displeasure over Jakhar’s last month’s statement, in which he had claimed that 42 MLAs wanted him to be the CM.
Brar said Channi’s “UP de Bhaiye” remark went against the party in the elections.
Gurpreet Singh, who lost from the Bassi Pathana assembly seat, squarely blamed Channi for the party’s crushing defeat in the polls.
He said the Congress announced Sidhu as the party’s chief ministerial face, it would have won at least 50 seats.
“CM Channi is the only reason for the party’s defeat. People did not like Channi as the CM face at all. Had (Navjot) Sidhu been announced as the CM, we would have won at least 50 seats,” said Gurpreet Singh.
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