Chandigarh, Jan 11 (PTI) Amid calls from within the party for disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu for holding separate rallies, Congress’ Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav Thursday said if anybody, be it a worker or a big leader, breaks discipline, action will be taken against him.
Earlier, Sidhu, after meeting Yadav, said “discipline” should not imply different things for different people.
Yadav Thursday wrapped up his three-day visit after holding a series of meetings with party legislators and block and district presidents, and discussed various issues including alliance with AAP, discipline and strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Later, he spoke to reporters here. To a question on Sidhu’s rallies, Yadav said he met Sidhu who informed him that he had some prior programmes.
“We have democracy and everybody wants to strengthen the Congress party in their own way. Definitely, everybody is given space, but discipline is very important. In the coming time, you will see whosoever breaks discipline, action will be taken against him,” the Punjab in-charge said.
When asked whether Sidhu conducting rallies was against the party, Yadav said, “Whatever comes to my notice, the party leadership will be updated about it.”
Meanwhile, Sidhu stated that his public meetings were scheduled prior to the Yadav’s three-day visit to the state.
“I told Yadav that discipline is for everyone. It cannot be one thing for a few and something else for rest of the people,” Sidhu said after the meeting.
The cricketer-turned-politician asserted it is everyone’s responsibility to take the party’s ideology to the people.
Before meeting Yadav, Sidhu posted a cryptic video message on X, saying “spineless” leaders who cannot stand for what is right are now talking big.
He though did not name anyone in his video message, the post appeared to be targeting his detractors within the party.
“Kaudi Kaudi bikey hue log, samjhauta karke ghutno pe tike hue log. Bargad ki baat karte hain, gamle me uge hue log,” Sidhu said in the message.
The message targets people who have “sold themselves for pennies”, made compromises, and have been “brought to their knees”. “People who grew up in flower pots talk about the banyan tree,” it said.
When asked for whom his post on X was meant, Sidhu said the “public knows everything”.
After meeting Yadav, Sidhu also said that he was going to the people to propagate the Congress’ ideology and connect the workers with the party’s inheritance.
“In a democracy, the people are the biggest strength and it is the duty of everyone to take the Congress ideology and consider the high command supreme. We will follow it,” said Sidhu.
“But how one will vote for you without telling them that what is to be done for Punjab. We will have to reinvent ourselves (party) and change,” Sidhu asserted.
Sidhu further said the Congress cannot stand back on its feet without the workers, who are the party’s foundation.
Asserting that he was going to the people to strengthen the foundation, Sidhu said it is a fight of ideology for the resurrection of Punjab.
When asked whether he will continue to hold his rallies, Sidhu said that his public meeting programmes were scheduled before Yadav’s visit to the state.
“I spoke to him (Yadav) and told him that my programmes were fixed beforehand. If I had known about the meeting earlier then I would have not planned my rally,” the former Punjab Congress chief said.
“We are also Congress workers. Why anybody has an objection?” he asked.
Sidhu has held three rallies, including two in Bathinda and one in Hoshiarpur, without consulting the state unit.
The former Punjab Congress chief said that he has a programme of holding another public meeting on January 21 and going to Kartarpur Sahib on January 24.
“When communication breaks then doubt arises. Now with Yadav, the string of contact is tied. Where there is communication, confidence will automatically arise. It is good for everyone to work together,” he added.
