Comb. Will keep Punjab: Ashwani

Senior Congress leader and former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said that the electoral arithmetic of Punjab overshadowed in favor of the Congress in the Assembly elections, which are due to be held early next year. He said, ‘People of Punjab will give double mandate in favor of Congress. Ensuring peace, harmony and stability in a troubled state has been the most important achievement of the Congress government.

“The SAD and the BJP have been maligned and the AAP has still established its credibility as an all-Punjab party,” he said. The challenge before the Congress is to ensure internal unity, he said. “The initiative of CM and state leaders is likely to result in reaching disgruntled party leaders,” he said.

Mr. Kumar said, “The country is divided into two political poles – one by the BJP and the other by the opposition, which includes the Congress and regional parties … The Congress has the duty and an opportunity to unify the opposition.” On party leadership, he said, “It is up to Mr. Rahul Gandhi to decide, even if he does not take responsibility, the party will be able to throw a credible leadership.”