Rahul "unites" Punjab Cong with Bajwa, Amarinder on his side

Flanked by Partap Singh Bajwa and Amarinder Singh, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today painted a "united" picture of the state's party unit with the focus now falling on the High Command's decision on the contentious issue of next PPCC chief.
"I came here to look into your problems, to learn about the Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege cases, to meet the people who were shot at, to unite the Congress party together (in reference to rivalry between PPCC chief Bajwa and former Chief Minister Amarinder)," Rahul said at a gathering in Bathinda.
Rahul said he had come to assess the situation in the state and arrived at the conclusion that the Congress was in a position to replace the Akali Dal-BJP combine for which united and concerted efforts would have to be made.

Notably, ever since the start of the Congress vice president's visit here yesterday, the only complaint that he heard from the people was the factionalism in the state unit.
Rahul made it clear that he was in Punjab to gear up and unite the party so that it was in a position to make effective intervention in the state's political discourse.
"Immediate steps would be taken to remove all irritants in the path of party unity," he said.

Meanwhile, every state leader went out of his way to assure Rahul that all was well with Bajwa saying that he was prepared to make every sacrifice towards that end.

Bajwa, however, added that the priority should be to unite the workers, strengthen and mobilise people and then take up the leadership issue.
Amarinder, on his part, said Rahul had come to throw out the Badals out of Punjab.
The Congress vice president exuded confidence that the party will form the next government in Punjab after the assembly polls which are due in early 2017.
Hitting out at Badals, Rahul said, "Everything is controlled by a family in the Shiromani Akali Dal-ruled state. Whether it is education, electricity, water, or seeds, everything is controlled by a family. And these days, the family members are not coming to meet you.