Ludhiana Congress MP Ravneet Bittu on Tuesday demanded the party high command to take action against former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu within 10 days. In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Ravneet Bittu said, “Either Sidhu or us (the party members) have to be shown the door if we want Punjab Congress to become an icon for the country.”
Congress leaders have been seeking action against Sidhu for several weeks after he held rallies without consulting the state unit. He had justified them by saying he was going to the people to strengthen the party’s foundation.
Ravneet Bittu told India Today TV that the Congress lost the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections due to infighting. “I am 100 per cent sure of this,” he added.
On the party’s alliance with the AAP and the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Ravneet Bittu said the party workers in Punjab have asked the leaders not to fight the polls together. “AAP has said many things and has misused agencies and police against us (Congress),” said the Ludhiana MP.
He added that the party leaders have conveyed their opinion on the matter to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Punjab Congress affairs in-charge Devender Yadav. “We have advised that Congress should fight alone in Punjab, but the rest is up to the party high command,” said Ravneet Bittu.
Bittu added that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Ludhiana seat. “I told my party that if I fight, I will fight from here (Ludhiana) and not from anywhere else,” said the MP. He has won the Lok Sabha seat consecutively for the last three elections.
The Ludhiana MP also commented on Milind Deora leaving the Congress and said, “If you remain during the good days, then you have to build the party when it is down. Now people think of shortcuts, but standing with Congress is also a responsibility. If you leave, you won’t be on any side.”
Deora had joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after he left Congress.