BATHINDA: The battle lines have been drawn between Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and dissident Congress leader, Jagmeet Singh Brar, over the proposed “kisan rally’ at Bathinda on March 23 in which expelled union minister Arjun Singh and senior Congress leader, N.D. Tiwari would be the star speakers. The kisan rally is being organized under the banner of Lok Youdh morcha headed by dissident Congress leader and MP, Brar who has openly challenged the leadership of Beant Singh. Brar has virtually floated parallel Congress party in the state.

The Bathinda conference has be- came a prestigious issue for both, PPCC president Beant Singh and Brar as respective leaders have geared up their cadre against each other probably to prove their worth in the state politics. The supporters of Brar have launched an intensive campaign in the Malwa region to mobilize farmers for the Bathinda rally, Brar has also been addressing village-level meetings to invite the farmers to the rally. Brar said more than one lakh farmers and supporters of the Lok Youdh Morcha would participate in the March 23 rally. He said that Beant Singh had got frustrated from the intelligence reports of likely success of kisan rally. He said that Beant Singh was trying to dissuade Congress workers from attending the Bathinda conference. He, however, said that all loyal Congressmen would attend the rally to show solidarity with the policies of Arjun Singh.

Brar said that Arjun Singh had emerged as national leader and savior of the nation. He said that points raised by Arjun Singh in his resignation had proved valid after the outcome of election results in states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and southern states recently. He said that P.V. Narasimha Rao had failed to lead the party at this crucial juncture when the nation is facing serious threat from communal forces and neighborhood enemies.

Brar claimed that Congress workers would not respond to the appeal of Beant Singh which he had made during his speech at the Holla Mohalla conference of the party last week. Beant Singh had asked party workers to boycott the Bathinda rally and he had even challenged the antecedents of Tiweri.

Brar said that all loyal Congressmen and true Punjabis would attend the Bathinda meet.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 24, 1995