Old enmity: Warring, former MLA spar at party meeting

At loggerheads

• The enmity between the two Congress leaders started when the party fielded Warring from Gidderbaha assembly segment in 2012, ignoring Raghubir
• Irate over the party's decision, Raghubir openly opposed Warring, sought votes in favour of SAD candidate Sant Singh Brar
• Thereafter, Raghubir did not attend any party programme
• But after the elevation of Captain Amarinder Singh as PPCC chief, he has again started taking part in party activities

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 29

Infighting came to the fore in the district leadership of Congress as IYC chief-cum-MLA Amarinder Singh ‘Raja Warring’ exchanged heated arguments with Gidderbaha ex-MLA Raghubir Pardhan in the party’s meeting held today to discuss the arrangements for Maghi Mela political conference.

Seeing Raghubir at the meeting annoyed Raja Warring, who publicly asked Raghubir to leave the venue. He also called Raghubir a sacked leader.

To control the situation, senior Congress leaders, including Kewal Singh Dhillon and Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi took Raja aside. However, Warring’s supporters kept protesting Raghubir’s presence.

The enmity between the two Congress leaders started when the party fielded Warring from Gidderbaha assembly segment in 2012, ignoring Raghubir. Irate over the party’s decision, Raghubir openly opposed Warring, sought votes in favour of SAD candidate Sant Singh Brar.

Thereafter, Raghubir did not attend any party programme. But after the elevation of Captain Amarinder Singh as PPCC chief, he has again started taking part in party activities.

Later, Raghubir said, “I had gone to the meeting after getting a telephone call of OSD to Capt Amarinder. I did not say anything against Warring in the meeting, but he insulted me. I am neither suspended nor ousted from the Congress. I will take up the matter with the PPCC chief.”

Courtesy: The Tribune