Sonia calls Punjab MPs to work together to win poll
Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Jul, 2021 12:20 PM
New Delhi, July 19 (IANS) After party MPs from Punjab had sought an appointment with her, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi called all the lawmakers and asked them to work together in the state to win next year's Assembly polls, sources said on Monday.
The development comes after the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the party's Punjab unit chief, announced late on Sunday.
Congress MPs from both Houses had met on Sunday afternoon at Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa's residence to discuss the issues related to Punjab and sought an appointment with Gandhi.
Asked about the meet, Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, who was batting for a non-Sikh state chief, said: "Internal party matters will be only be discussed at party forums."
Bajwa, who was the host, played down the meeting, saying: "We are with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi... whatever decision they will take, everybody will accept it."
The Centre on Thursday announced the first instalment of a fiscal relief package, worth Rs 170,000 crore, to protect the weaker sections of the society from the economic fallout of Covid-19.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry ration to daily wagers and unorganised labourers to help them during the curfew because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Urging the police personnel to exercise maximum restraint in the difficult situation, the Chief Minister asked them to find more compassionate ways of handling curfew violations, especially in cases of individuals found moving out for essentials.
A 63-year-old woman from Kangra who failed to disclose her travel history following her return from Dubai and was later tested positive for COVID-19 has been booked under Section 270 of the IPC, which carries a maximum imprisonment of upto two years.
