Manpreet’s inclusion in Cong would have helped party: Bajwa

When everyone in the state Congress had said no to the idea of including rebel SAD leader Manpreet Singh Badal in the Congress,party MP Partap Singh Bajwa,in October 2010,had surprised everyone and even drawn flak from party chief Captain Amarinder Singh by welcoming Manpreet into the Congress.

With the top Congress leadership now acknowledging that Manpreet’s PPP had dented the prospects of the party in Punjab and Bajwa’s assertion getting vindicated,the MP now plans to bring the matter to the notice of Sonia Gandhi. Bajwa had reasoned that the four-time MLA was a popular leader in Malwa and his inclusion would strengthen the Congress in belt. After the poll debacle,Sonia had said that PPP damaged Congress on 23 seats. Even Amarinder,in his report card for Sonia,has reportedly underlined that PPP cornered a part of anti-establishment vote affecting Congress margins in over two dozen seats.

“I will take up the matter with Sonia Gandhi. The inclusion of Manpreet Badal would have benefitted Congress in certain pockets,as I had said at that time. But Captain Amarinder Singh criticised me for batting for Manpreet’s inclusion,” Bajwa told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

“Manpreet may deny the same for obvious reasons today,but there were feelers from his side to join the Congress at that time,” said Bajwa,who is believed to be among those in the race for the post of the state chief.

Despite repeated attempts,Manpreet could not be contacted.