Cong to act against leaders working against party in poll bound states

New Delhi : The Congress has decided to act tough against rebels in the party with polls upcoming in five states. It will take a decision soon to either expel or suspend them based on internal reports.

The party is facing internal rifts in almost all the states. From Punjab to Uttarakhand the party has been closely watching leaders who have been trying to damage the party’s prospects. Sources have not revealed the identities but say that the names of many MLAs and ex MLAs are on the list.

The party wants to put its house in order and has taken note of the recent statements of Punjab party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and a senior leader of the party in Uttarakhand.

Reportedly, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu are both pushing to be named the Chief Ministerial candidate.

The Congress, so far, has not named any one as the Chief Ministerial face for the upcoming Assembly elections as the party considers that this leads to infighting and internal rift.

But Sidhu on Tuesday said it is the people who will choose the next Chief Minister of the state and not the high command.

Unveiling the first set of plans in his Punjab Model with the focus on the resurrection of Punjab, Sidhu, in the absence of Channi and his Cabinet colleagues, told the media here: “Punjab Model is people’s model, an effort to give a roadmap to return power to people.”

To counter the powerful ‘mafia model’, which has the power to even stop the notification of a Cabinet passed resolution, he said a model is needed to redistribute state resources and give power back to the rightful beneficiaries.

The elections in five states — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur — would be held from February 10 to March 7, and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on February 10, 14, 20, 23 and March 3 and 7; Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand would vote on February 14 while Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 and March 3.