Cong rift surfaces in Mohali: Dy mayor, ex-min spar over land-pooling scheme
2
Mohali: Internal fissures within the Punjab Congress came out in the open as deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi and former health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu faced off over alleged remarks made during a recent protest against the land pooling scheme in Mohali.
The controversy erupted during a Congress-led protest outside the GMADA office, where Sidhu, while addressing the gathering, allegedly made objectionable remarks against Bedi. Reacting to this, Bedi held a press conference on Tuesday, accusing Sidhu of political vendetta and "high-handedness" within the party ranks.
"I was not present when the remarks were made, but several people informed me about what was said by Sidhu," Bedi claimed, adding that he viewed the remarks as a targeted attempt to malign his political image.
However, in a bid to prevent the infighting from escalating, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring intervened and advised Bedi to refrain from making any public statements on the matter for now. "I have been directed by the party president to hold back my words until he returns from the Parliament session in Delhi," Bedi stated, confirming that he already submitted a formal complaint against Sidhu to the party high command.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why!
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
The clash is seen as part of an intensifying rivalry between the two leaders, both of whom are eyeing the Congress ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections from Mohali. While Balbir Singh Sidhu previously won the Mohali seat three times and served as a cabinet minister in Captain Amarinder Singh's govt, Bedi held two terms as councillor and currently serves as the city's Deputy Mayor.
The incident has added to the growing list of internal tensions within the Punjab Congress, even as the party looks to consolidate its position ahead of the 2027 state polls. Party insiders suggest that a closed-door reconciliation may take place once Warring returns to Chandigarh.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Sanjay Raut cites Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan to counter Amit Shah's ‘Hindus can't be terrorists' remark
Shiv Sena (UBT ) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut said on Thursday that a terrorist doesn't have a caste or a religion. Raut was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'A Hindu cannot be a terrorist' statement in Rajya Sabha a day before. 'A terrorist does not have any caste or religion,' Raut told news agency ANI, invoking Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national incarcerated in Pakistan since 2016. "The people of Pakistan call Kulbhushan Jadhav a terrorist, a Hindu terrorist. We are not ready to accept it. The government should tell Pakistan that he is our citizen and get him freed," Raut said. Pakistan alleges that Jadhav is a spy for the Research and Analysis Wing, India's intelligence agency, and was arrested in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. The Indian foreign ministry says that Yadav was kidnapped from Iran and illegally rendered to Pakistan Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, speaking in Rajya Sabha on July 30, that Hindus 'can never be terrorists'. The home minister criticised former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram for his assessment that there was no solid proof linking Pakistan to the terrorists who attacked tourists at Pahalgam, the home minister said. The home minister also brought up Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's 2008 statement about the possibilities of an RSS link to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. A terrorist does not have any caste or religion. "Aur Hindu terror ka shigoofa kisne chhoda? (Who gave the false theory of Hindu terror?) Today I proudly declare to the world and the people of the country that a Hindu can never be a terrorist. Hindus can never be terrorists," said Shah.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
28 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India has to now contend with CAP- China, America, Pak: Cong's dig at govt
After US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India, the Congress on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he once spoke of the TOP -- Tomato, Onion, Potato -- challenges in prices, but the country now has to contend with the political challenges arising out of CAP -China, America, Pakistan. The opposition party said that on the one hand President Trump criticises India strongly and imposes penalties on it for trading with Russia, while on the other hand, just before the Iranian President's visit to Pakistan, he announces a big partnership with Pakistan for hydrocarbon exploration and development, alongside a trade deal. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that President Trump is "piling it on India". In an X post, Ramesh wrote, "Since May 10, he has claimed 30 times that he stopped Operation Sindoor. These claims were made in four different countries. On June 18, he hosted the Pakistan Army Chief and the orchestrator of the Pahalgam terror attacks for lunch at the White House." "On July 30, he imposed a 25% tariff on US imports from India plus a penalty on India's oil and defence purchases from Russia. In addition, sanctions on at least six Indian companies were imposed for engaging with Iran," he said. On July 30, Trump also announced that the US will help Pakistan explore and develop its oil and gas reserves, Ramesh said, adding this comes on top of his full-throated support to Pakistan receiving financial assistance from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. "Prime Minister Modi once spoke of the TOP (Tomato, Onion, Potato) challenge in prices. Now India has to contend with the political challenge arising out of CAP (China, America, Pakistan)," Ramesh said. "He (Modi) invested very heavily in his personal friendship with President Trump, as he had done earlier with President Xi. Both have the full measure of the man now --? someone who can be managed easily by playing to his gigantic ego and self-obsession," the Congress leader said. In another post, Ramesh said, "President Trump criticises India imposes penalties on India for trading with Russia. He sanctions Indian companies for trading with Iran." But just before the Iranian President's visit to Pakistan, Trump announces a big partnership with Pakistan for hydrocarbon exploration and development - alongside a trade deal, he said. The remarks came a day after the US President announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty on the country for buying Russian crude oil and military equipment. The announcement is being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US, which has, in recent days, got favourable trade deals with major partners like Japan, the UK and the European Union. In a social media post, Trump termed India's trade policies as "most strenuous and obnoxious". "All things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 per cent, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August first," Trump wrote. The penalty was announced as India has made large purchases of oil and military equipment from Russia. India is the first country Trump has slapped a penalty over Russian imports. Earlier, he had imposed high tariffs on China but refrained from levying any penalty despite Beijing being Russia's largest oil importer. On Wednesday, the Opposition parties slammed the government for the US' imposition of the tariff and penalties on Indian imports, and said that Prime Minister Modi's friendship with the US president meant little. Ramesh had said that Modi should take inspiration from former prime minister Indira Gandhi and stand up to the president of the United States.
India Today
28 minutes ago
- India Today
Karnataka Minister pushes for special fund to support young OBC entrepreneurs
Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar urging the creation of a special 'fund-of-funds' to support young industrialists from Other Backward Classes (OBC) his letter dated July 26, Lad cited data from the 2015 Social and Educational Survey, which showed that OBCs make up 70% of Karnataka's population. He argued that the absence of a dedicated financial mechanism was discouraging young entrepreneurs from these communities from entering the industrial there is no separate fund to bolster young industrialists from these communities, they are staying away from the industry sector. Thus, it is mandatory to institute a separate fund at the government level,' the minister wrote. He called for immediate action, saying such a fund could bridge the gap in representation and opportunity in the state's industrial April this year, the state's caste census commission recommended increasing the OBC reservation quota in education and employment from 32 per cent to 51 per cent. If implemented, this would push total reservation in the state to 85 per cent, including 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and 24 per cent for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST).The commission also advised the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to introduce horizontal reservation within existing quotas, for categories like women and persons with disabilities, across all vertical groups such as SC, ST, and OBC.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
