Rebel Congress leader Laal Singh meets Partap Singh Bajwa, extends support

PATIALA: Bowing to pressure from the party high command, rebel Congress leader and Sanaur MLA Laal Singh today fell in line and extended his support to Punjab unit chief Partap Singh Bajwa.

Singh was considered to be a staunch supporter of former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, whom Bajwa replaced as the Pradesh Congress Committee chief in April.

Singh's change of heart comes a day ahead of Congress Vice -President Rahul Gandhi's visit to the neighbouring Sangrur district.

Singh had spoken out against the high command in support of Amarinder when Bajwa was appointed PCC chief.

He later started distancing himself from the former CM after the high command appointed Shakeel Ahmed as the in-charge for party affairs in June this year, sources said.

In September, however, Singh was seen at a dharna against Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in New Delhi, organised by Bajwa.

Party sources said Singh also wanted to have a say in the reorganisation of PCC after Shakeel announced that new office bearers would be named by the end of the month.

Singh hopes his son Kaka Rajinder Singh, a former PCC secretary, would be appointed as the president of the Patiala District Congress Committee, party sources said.