Clamour for Punjab Congress Chief's removal grows

CHANDIGARH: There is a growing clamour for Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa to step down with a section of party workers protesting against his continuance in the post and the ruling Akali Dal upping its offensive against the Congress leader.

A section of party men, reportedly owing allegiance to Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Amarinder Singh, has been protesting against Bajwa's continuance as the Pradesh Congress Committee president and sought his immediate removal.

Amarinder, a former chief minister, had also been seeking his removal from the PCC chief's post for the party's debacle in the recent Lok Sabha polls and in the by-elections to some seats in the state.

Bajwa today had a face-off with the agitating party workers who were demanding his removal and asking him to go back outside a hotel in busy Feroze Gandhi Market of Ludhiana, while he was accompanied by party secretary in-charge for Punjab Harish Chaudhary.

The protesters blocked his vehicle. One of them lifted the wiper from the windshield and stuck a poster on it, reading, "Partap Bajwa go back" and "Bajwa Hatao, Congress Bachao" (remove Bajwa, save Congress). The protesters also showed him black flags.

There was also a minor scuffle between the protesters and his supporters. Pradeep Kumar, one of the protesters alleged that he was manhandled by Bajwa supporters while he was peacefully raising the slogans.

An irritated Bajwa tried to avoid the protesters and rushed inside the hotel. Bajwa, who has been here for last four days, has been facing regular protests.

While his first day marked the launching of the signature campaign for his removal, the subsequent days were marked by protests and burning of his effigies.

Today, however, the protesters directly confronted him with black flags, banners and posters asking him to go back and urging the party high command to remove him to save the party in Punjab.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal today hit out at Bajwa to explain his alleged dealings with criminals as well as disclose why he allegedly used hardened criminals to browbeat his opponents in the party.