Factionalism to fore during Cong rally

Tribune News Service

Batala, September 14

A motorcycle rally was organised by Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) secretary Nitin Sharma at the behest of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee in Batala today. Activists on as many as 800 motorcyles went through the main markets of the town before culminating the rally on the Batala-Gurdaspur road, where they burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister.

The rally was a success despite the fact that not even a single leader aligned to the Sekhri group took part. All the five sitting Congress municipal councillors, who are confidants of the MLA, decided to stay away in what turned out to be a feeble attempt aimed at “scuttling” the event.

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

Over the last few months, the legislator’s detractors have formed a group called “Anti-Sekhri Group”. Today, its members were present in full strength giving a clear signal to the MLA that he would have to “work hard to retain the seat”.