Congress infighting: Jakhar slams Channi over poll results, mocks Soni

In an apparent reference to reports that Channi was praised at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Sunday, Jakhar tweeted, An asset - r u joking?

Chandigarh: Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar slammed outgoing Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and senior party leader Ambika Soni over the drubbing the party got in the assembly polls, referring to the CM as liability. In an apparent reference to reports that Channi was praised at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Sunday, Jakhar tweeted, An asset - r u joking?

Thank God he wasn't declared a 'National Treasure' at CWC by the 'Pbi' lady who proposed him as CM in first place. Maybe an asset for her but for the party he has been only a liability, he said. Not the top brass, but his own greed pulled him and the party down," Jakhar said, targeting Channi in the tweet that underscored the persisting infighting in the Punjab unit of the Congress.

The tweet also included a picture of Channi and a headline, "ED seizes Rs 10 crore from Channi's nephew; CM cries foul". He did not mention Soni by name in the tweet or while talking later to PTI, but appeared to be referring to her. Jakhar was a frontrunner for the CM post after the Congress unseated Amarinder Singh last year. But Ambika Soni told the party leadership that a Sikh should be made Punjab chief minister, possibly scuttling Jakhar's chances.

Channi then became the first Dalit CM of the state, just months ahead of the assembly polls. The Congress, however, faced a rout, winning just 18 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party won 92 of the 117 seats. Jakhar told the media that the perception that Channi was trying to create about his humble background was shattered after the alleged recovery of cash from his nephew's premises in an Enforcement Department raid. We cannot fight corruption with corruption, he said.

He questioned why Channi wasn't sent to Uttar Pradesh to campaign if he was an asset' to the party. The Congress got just two seats in UP. Accept the truth. There is a problem and you promoted him and now you are trying to give him a clean chit, he said, apparently targeting Soni as well as the top leadership of the party. Jakhar said that he had once told party leader Rahul Gandhi that he did not accept Channi as his leader.

On Monday, Amarinder Singh, who left the Congress after being ousted as Punjab CM, also slammed the party high command. He said the Gandhis were entirely to blame for their party's defeat. Last month, Jakhar had claimed that 42 Congress MLAs wanted him to be the chief minister of the state after the unceremonious exit of Amarinder Singh.

PTI