Punjab Congress chief suspends three Brar loyalists

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Chandigarh, May 17 (UNI) In a bid to check dissidence in the party, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Shamsher Singh Dullo today suspended three loyalists of senior Congress leader and former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar, a strong critic of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

Those against whom action was intiated include Dr Tara Singh Sandhu, a former chief of District Congress Committee (DCC) of Moga, Kulbir Singh Sidhu of Bathinda and Harinder Pal Singh Mann from Patiala. They have been suspended for anti-party activities.

The three suspended leaders had come out in support of Mr Brar, who has of late opened a front against the Chief Minister on the issue of selling prime land in Punjab to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to set-up agricultural hubs so as to boost the agrarian economy of the state. Mr Brar, a member of the AICC Working Committee, had alleged that the CM was gifting away precious prime and agricultural land to RIL at throw-away prices and demanded an inquiry into the 'deal'.

Mr Dullo, while suspending the three leaders, has asked them to explain their conduct within seven days or else expulsion proceedings would be intiated against them. The PPCC chief has refered the case of Manjit Singh Jhalbuti, a AICC member and another Brar loyalist to the party High Command for intiating disciplinary proceedings against him for criticising the Chief Minister publically.

Capt Singh has already written a letter to the Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi to explain the governments stand on the RIL issue and the ''unwarranted'' criticism indulged in by Mr Brar. A number of ministers and senior Congress leaders have demanded the expulsion of Mr Brar from the party as his open criticism of the Chief Minister could harm the prospects of the party in the next assembly elections due to be held early next year.

Mr Brar, on his part, has already taken up the RIL issue with the Congress High Command. He has stated that the RIL deal would not be in the interests of the farming community of the state.

UNI HS VD ND1804

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