As Navjot Singh Sidhu took charge as the new Punjab Congress chief, the outgoing state president Sunil Jakhar used his time on stage to openly express his anger over the way he was treated by the partys Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat.
Directly addressing Rawat, Jakhar picked on him for forgetting to invite him for the change of guard in the state unit.
Rawat sahib, today I am talking like a worker. And a worker should always be forgiven for whatever he may say. You did not remember Sunil Jakhar today. Who was the one supposed to hand over the keys to you of this house? Sunil Jakhar is a dyed-in-wool Congressman…The people who get upset, you go to them and pacify them every time they get miffed. Show them their place, Jakhar said.
Sources close to Jakhar said that he was irked by the fact that while Rawat had personally asked other senior leaders of the Punjab Congress to come for the event, he had not invited the outgoing state president.
In what sources termed a veiled attack on former state unit chief Pratap Singh Bajwa, Jakhar in his speech said: You pacified people who were constantly upset with the Congress. You know how people had connections with Amit Shah and Arvind Kejriwal so that they could jump ship and join them anytime. Such people should listen to me carefully. This party will continue like this…many came and many left earlier too.
But Jakhar was all praise for the CM and welcoming of the new party chief Sidhu.
Virtually taking the blame for poll promises that have remained unfulfilled during the CM Amarinder Singhs tenure, Jakhar said: Captain Sahib you have been over indulgent about me. You never said no to anything. But I could not fulfil the aspirations of the workers. Sidhu Sahib, I am leaving you the unfinished agenda. It is not because the CM sahib was not listening.
He also egged on the CM to send a message among workers that it is your government and not of the babus.
Referring to work done by the previous Manmohan Singh government at the Centre, Jakhar said even that regime could not market their performance well. The same has happened with us. It is a work in progress.
About delivering justice in the sacrilege cases, Jakhar added: CM sir, I am sure you are keeping the best for the last. You will show the culprits their place.
I pray to God that the he provides much needed strength to Captain Sahib and Sidhu Sahib so that they can deliver justice in sacrilege and bring he state back to its pristine glory, he said.
