Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh has threatened rebel candidates with permanent expulsion from the party if they failed to withdraw their nominations for the state Assembly elections by Tuesday, PTI reported on Monday. Thanking those who had agreed to Congress’ request to withdraw their nominations in favour of the party’s official candidates, Singh urged the dissidents to unite against the “anti-people” Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party.
The Congress leader said the rebel candidates’ behaviour violated their disciplinary ethics, dismissing queries about their impact on the party’s chances of winning the polls. Winnable candidates had been selected to ensure that Congress won a two-thirds majority in the Assembly, which will help “restore Punjab’s lost glory”, he added.
Singh, who is the Congress chief ministerial candidate for the elections, said he had asked Congress National President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi to expel the rebel candidates permanently if they refuse to fall in line by Tuesday. Those who obey the party’s directives will be given key roles “when the Congress wins the election”.
On the Satluj-Yamuna Link Canal, the Congress leader said he was ready to defy the Supreme Court’s ruling to complete the controversial water-sharing project and risk imprisonment rather than allow Punjab’s waters to leave the state, The Times of India reported. “We also need to tell the Supreme Court that Punjab already suffered injustice as the assets between Punjab and Haryana were distributed on a 60:40 ratio.”
Congress is hoping to gain control over the 117-seat Assembly from the Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition. Rebel candidates were responsible for the party’s loss in 2012.
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