CHANDIGARH: The categorical rebuttal by Captain Amarinder Singh former Chief Minister Punjab that he has not written any letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi alleging that Partap Singh Bajwa, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee had terrorist links has strengthened letters position as president of the PPCC.

Captain Amarinder Singh while addressing a news conference in Delhi strongly denied having written any letter to Sonia Gandhi against Bajwa and rather alleged that this was a conspiracy and demanded probe into the same.

The strong denial by the former chief minister of Punjab has also boosted the morale of the Congress cadres who now feel that the senior leaders of the Congress in Punjab will close their ranks before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Shakeel Ahmed, General Secretary, All India Congress Committee who is incharge of Punjab and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committees during his maiden two day tour of the two states also made a strong appeal for sinking differences and putting up a united front against the communal and polarizing forces led by Narendra Modi, chairman, campaign committee of the BJP.

It can be mentioned without any hesitation that the senior congress leaders in both the states are at loggerheads and strong differences persist among them. During Shakeel Ahmed’s Haryana visit, six MPs of the party abstained from the meeting which clearly indicated that all was not well with the congress in Haryana.

Similarly, in Punjab too senior leaders like Captain Amarinder Singh, Mrs. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Jagmeet Brar were absent from the meeting addressed by Shakeel Ahmed on June 30.

Mrs. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal had an excuse for not attending the meeting because her mother-in-law had expired while the other two did not have any excuse to miss the meeting.

Captain Amarinder Singh has been nominated to the Congress Working Committee and with this nomination in the highest policy making body of the congress, his stature has risen and at the same time his responsibility towards the party’s performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha election has also become very significant. He has to play a role of unifying force. Captain Amarinder Singh commands more respect among the people of Punjab and in particular in Malwa region which is the stronghold of the Akali Dal.

After the rebuttal by Amarinder Singh, it is the duty of the Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa too to seek maximum cooperation from him (Amarinder) and unite the cadres at the grass root level. It will be advisable for him to take Amarinder Singh along with him during the tour of the state which is planning to start from July 15. Bajwa cannot fight the Akali Dal’s onslaught singlehandedly. No doubt, so far Bajwa has put up a bold fight against the Badals who consider themselves to be invincible.

Similarly in Haryana, the differences among the senior congress leaders are very strong and a big effort is needed to bring all the leaders at one platform. The Congress high command cannot bring discipline among the senior leaders of Punjab and Haryana by just making appeals to them. The high command has to show sternness in dealing with them if it is serious to win the Lok Sabha elections in the two states.

Haryana Congress leadership should not take things easy because of the imprisonment of Om Parkash Chautala and his son because his one son and other leaders are active now and are trying to keep the INLD alive in Haryana and INLD has its pockets too which matter a lot.