Chandigarh: Two days after Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said Aam Aadmi Party would contest 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state in an alliance with Congress, a large number of Pradesh Congress Committee leaders have opposed any such tie-up, delivering a blow to INDIA bloc’s show of unity.
In a series of meetings that PCC chief Amrinder Raja Singh Warring held with district party presidents, MLAs and an MP to take their feedback on Cheema’s remark, Congress members warned against any tie-up with AAP, with two former ministers even threatening to leave the party on this issue.
All seven Congress MPs from Punjab were invited for the meeting, but only one, Muhammad Sadiq, attended it. Sadiq expressed his sentiments against such an alliance, sources said.
Punjab leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa will relay the feedback from the state unit to the party high command during the Congress Working Committee meeting in Hyderabad on September 15-16.
While interacting with media after the meeting, Warring said they have been told to make preparations for contesting the elections on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Party sources revealed that during the meetings, the PCC leadership was reminded of AAP’s actions after forming the government in Punjab, which included a “witch hunt” against Congress members and attempts to portray the party as corrupt in the state.