Batala Congress rally turns into show of strength against own MLA

Tribune News Service

Batala, September 14

The Congress party workers here organised a rally on Wednesday but it turned into a show of strength against it own MLA Ashwani Sekhri.

The rally was organised by Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) secretary Nitin Sharma at the behest of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). Sharma, who is a known Sekhri opposer and a leading ticket contender, managed to rope in 800 motorcycles.

In what started off as a rally finally ended up as a protest against the MLA. Early in the morning some of Sekhri’s men instigated the organisers by claiming that the event would not be successful because they were not going to attend it. This infuriated the organisers who then went on an overdrive to ensure the rally turned successful.  

Youth Congress workers rode through the main markets of the town before the rally culminated on the Batala-Gurdaspur road, where an effigy of the Chief Minister was burnt.

Senior Indian Youth Congress and PYC leaders were in attendance. Prominent among those who were present were Dr Rajindra Mood, secretary, IYC and in-charge of the PYC, Brinder Pahra, president Gurdaspur Youth Congress and Gurbhej Singh Tibbi, general secretary, PYC.

All the five sitting Congress municipal councillors are confidants of the MLA and decided to stay away though it turned out to be a feeble attempt.

Over the last few months, the legislator’s detractors have formed a group known as the Anti-Sekhri Group (ASG). The group comprises of several middle-rung leaders who otherwise are faction ridden but nevertheless come on a singe platform when it comes to protesting against the MLA.