Chandigarh: Manish Tewari meets disgruntled Congress leaders, buys peace
On Wednesday, Manish Tewari met the despondent leaders at the residence of party secretary Ankush Jolly, where local unit vice-president and councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi, councillor Nirmala Devi’s husband Dilawar Singh, councillor and NSUI president Sachin Galav, Congress general secretary Luv Kumar and major office-bearers of the Youth Congress were also present.
Putting a lid on the simmering discontent within party ranks over being ignored, Chandigarh Congress candidate Manish Tewari met the disgruntled Congress office-bearers on Thursday to pacify them.
Following the meeting, the leaders, majority of whom have strong grassroots connection, assured Tewari of full support for the party’s victory in the June 1 Lok Sabha election.
The leaders will be holding a public meeting on May 5, where around 3,000 party workers from across the city will be showing up. Tewari will address the gathering, where senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal is also expected to be present.
Since the announcement of Tewari’s candidature on April 13, several office-bearers, including the local unit secretary Nitin Rai Chauhan, have left the party in support of Bansal, who was also eyeing the ticket.
Moreover, over 100 party leaders and workers, including party vice-president Hafiz Anwar Ul Haq and Mahila Congress president Deipa Dubey, have submitted resignations, demanding removal of local party president HS Lucky for liking an Instagram post that mocked Bansal for losing the ticket, an allegation he has vehemently denied.
Ever since, loyalists of four-time MP Bansal have not been campaigning for Tewari, accusing the party of ignoring them and not listening to their voice. They also alleged outsiders from Punjab were being given more importance.
On Wednesday, Tewari met the despondent leaders at the residence of party secretary Ankush Jolly, where local unit vice-president and councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi, councillor Nirmala Devi’s husband Dilawar Singh, councillor and NSUI president Sachin Galav, Congress general secretary Luv Kumar and major office-bearers of the Youth Congress were also present.
After the leaders expressed their concern regarding the prevailing discord in the party, Tewari assured them that all colleagues, who have been serving the party with full dedication for a long time, will be given full respect. There will be no discrimination of any kind against any worker or office-bearer; rather, their position in the party will be further strengthened, he said.
He also reassured them that all unhappy workers will be brought to one platform in a day or two, and he himself, along with all his colleagues, will be present at the workers’ conference on May 5.
Gabi, who was instrumental in organising the meeting, said, “All office-bearers are with the party and Tewari. We are true soldiers of the Congress and are committed to its victory at any cost. We will also invite Bansal ji on May 5.”
Senior Congress leader and former mayor Ravinder Pal Singh said, “The Congress is united in the battle to save the Constitution and democracy that are currently under threat in the country.”
Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky said some of the dejected leaders had already started campaigning for Tewari.
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