Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu's statement on inducting AAP leader Bhagwant Mann in to Punjab Congress has not gone down well with the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
Reacting to media reports about the MP suggesting that the AAP leader's induction into the Congress would be productive for Congress in the 2019 Parliamentary elections, the Chief Minister urged all party leaders to refrain from making such statements.
Such public statements fuel speculation that could be detrimental to the Congress party's interests in run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Amarinder said.
Expressing surprise at Bittu's reported statement, Captain Amarinder Singh said the Ludhiana MP should have come with his views either to the party general secretary or the PPCC president or to him (the CM).
As per the party rules, special permission of the party President was required for induction of members of Parliament into the party.
Bittu was a senior Congress leader and well aware of the system and processes that needed to be followed in such cases, said Captain Amarinder Singh, adding that using a public forum to air views on party related matters was against the Constitutional ethos of the party.
"It was the prerogative of the party high command to take any decision on the induction of leaders from other parties into the Congress fold," the CM said, adding that no party MP, MLA or other leaders should come out with public statements in this regard. As per the party rules, special permission of the Congress president was required for the induction of members of Parliament into the party.
Only few days ago, Congress in-charge of Punjab Asha Kumari and PPCC President Sunil Jakhar had ruled out any talks of alliance. A senior party leader said it was premature to comment on alliance with other parties. Bhagwant Mann has rejected the reported suggestion made by the Ludhiana MP.
"If anything happens it would happen towards the general elections as part of the larger design to oust the BJP at the Centre", said a senior Punjab Congress leader.
