Discord between city Cong leaders not abating, new allegations: The Tribune India

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Ravneet Singh

Tribune press service

Patiala, August 3

The issue of corruption within the Municipal Corporation snowballed and became a major controversy. The city’s top congressional leaders have alleged bribery by each other, in separate press releases issued here today.

Last week, Punsup Vice President Krishan Chand Budhu wrote to new Punjabi congressman Navjot Singh Sidhu, highlighting corrupt practices within the company, and alleged that Patiala’s senior management was defending these corrupt leaders.

In response, the District Congressional Committee (DCC), Patiala (City), today held a press conference on the corruption allegations and charges against party leaders. The internal feuds and allegations exposed divisions among party leaders who continued to make more allegations during the press conference.

DCC Chairman KK Malhotra and PRTC Chairman KK Sharma, as well as District Planning Committee Chairman Santokh Singh, demanded that party leaders contain their differences on the party platform.

Malhotra said the party leadership was ashamed of Krishan Chand’s statements against the top leaders and said: “Under any circumstances, the top city leader (Krishan) should have contacted the district leadership to express his displeasure, the optionally. He shouldn’t be making false accusations against party leaders for political mileage. “

Narinder Pal Verma (Lalli), Senior Vice President of PUNSUP, said Krishan Chand should not raise corruption allegations against others as he himself faces corruption charges.

In response, Krishan Chand said, “Narinder Lalli should prove the allegations against me. Narinder himself remained in jail for 101 days for illegal possession of a house after being found guilty by the court and later joined the SAD camp. He joined Pratap Bajwa when the latter had disagreements with Captain Amarinder Singh and also helped Dharamvira Gandhi win the election against MP Preneet Kaur in 2014. ”

Lalli refuted the allegations of joining SAD or Dhramvira Gandhi.

Sources say Congress leaders held the press conference following a signal from Patiala’s congressional leadership.

The allegations

In a letter to Punjab Congressman Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punsup Vice President Krishan Chand Budhu accused Patiala mayor Sanjeev Bittu of protecting “the illegal construction mafia and colonizers”. “The morale of congressional employees in Patiala is already low and many of them are considering leaving the party due to massive corruption led by the mayor. Its assets need to be surveyed, ”he wrote. “We have high hopes on Sidhu, because the inaccessibility of the CM has led to such a situation where a selective coterie close to the palace of New Moti Bagh is running a parallel but corrupt government,” he said.

Counter-allegations

However, the mayor of Patiala, Sanjeev Bittu, said the allegations were politically motivated because he was a candidate for the ticket in 2022. “My rivals are trying to play dirty politics, without any evidence. The funds allocated by the government through us are spent by the agents. I cannot be held responsible in any way, ”Bittu said, warning that he would file a libel complaint against Budhu.

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