CHANDIGARH, June 11: The Congress today asked its cadres to gear up for the forthcoming assembly elections in the state which are due in February next. The Congress Working Committee member and in charge for Punjab Mr Gulchain Singh Charak and the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder said, the time had come to teach the Akali-BJP alliance a lesson and through them out, particularly when they had let loose a reign of terror on the Congress workers in the state.Addressing a meeting of the party office bearers including the vice presidents, general secretaries, PCC members, District Congress Committee presidents and the block presidents Mr Charak and Capt Amarinder said, it was important that the party was strong at the grass-roots level hence the role of the DCC and block presidents was quite important.
Mr Charak also underlined the need for maintaining the discipline in the party. He warned that indiscipline will not be tolerated and if anybody had any grievance he could take it at appropriate party fora and not in the media. He said, all the senior leaders were available and accessible to their cadres and ready to listen to them.
The CWC member congratulated the PCC President for mobilising the cadres right up to the assembly level. He pointed out, the PCC President had already completed about half the assembly segments across the state where he had listened to the workers’ grievances.
Mr Charak asked the party workers and leaders to reach out to the people and explain to them the achievements of the government. He said, it was the government of India funds that were being spent in Punjab and the Akalis were taking undue credit for it.
Speaking on the occasion Capt Amarinder asked the workers to have patience and remain united. He pointed out, since everybody knew that Congress was coming to power in Punjab there were many ticket aspirants. He said, allotting the ticket is the prerogative of the Congress President. He said, those who are not able to get the party ticket must not feel upset and must ensure the victory of the party. Because each candidate contesting will be the party’s candidate and party’s victory will be in everybody’s interest and the interest of the state.
He said, he had brought to the notice of Ms Gandhi the issue of allotting the tickets on time and she had also agreed about early announcement of candidates. “In order to ensure that the Congress candidates get ample time I have requested the Congress President to declare the candidates at the earliestâ€, he said.
The secretary All India Congress Committee Mr Praveen Rashtrapal also said that the tickets must be given well in advance so that the candidates can get maximum time for their campaign. He said, he was pleased with the working and prospects of the party in Punjab and was confident that Congress will form the government in the state.
Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and PCC Vice President Mr Laal Singh also addressed the meeting.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Arvind Khanna, Rana KP, Kewal Dhillon, Rana Sodhi, OP Soni, Sukh Sarkaria, Chaudhary Jagjit, Haminder Jassi, Ramesh Chander Dogra and others.