No factionalism in party: Punjab Congress Chief

Chandigarh, July 4 (IANS) Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday categorically ruled out any factionalism in the state unit of the party.

He said that there was nothing wrong with senior party leader Charanjit Singh Channi holding a meeting of party leaders at his residence.

Replying to a question during an informal interaction with reporters here, Warring pointed out that Channi is a former Chief Minister and the Chairman of the party’s Campaign Committee. What is wrong or factional about his holding a meeting of the party leaders?

He pointed out that all the senior leaders present at the meeting had spoken only in favour of the party.

Replying to another question, Warring reiterated that he was not in the Chief Ministerial race. Asked whether Channi should be declared the Chief Ministerial candidate, he said this was not his prerogative but that of the high command, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

The PCC President said his only mission was to ensure that the Congress “returns to power in Punjab as people of the state want the party to come back. Whatever role the party high command has given to me, I have always performed to the best of my abilities”.

He said he would continue to do so as a loyal and dedicated party soldier.

“We are what our party has made us, otherwise we are nothing,” he said, while asserting that “the party comes first; over and above everything else”.

Dismissing speculations about factionalism in the party, he said that very soon all the senior leaders will be seen together sharing the stage.

“All of us have a single and common goal, that is to see the Congress back in power in Punjab, and nothing else matters,” he added.

–IANS

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