Punjab Elections: Manish Tewari 'shocked' as Congress expels ex-Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon

The Indian National Congress, on Thursday, February 17, expelled Kewal Singh Dhillon, senior leader and former MLA from Barnala, from the primary membership of the party for anti-party activities. Congress MP Manish Tewari expressed shock over the party's decision to remove Dhillon without much notice. Reportedly referring to anti-Sikh riots, he said that the ex-Barnala legislator was a "Congressman when it was an invitation to the assassination."

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Tewari said, "Shocked to read @KewalDhillonINC summarily expelled from @INCIndia without even as much as a notice. When no one was prepared to invest a Penny in Punjab during days of Terror he brought @PepsiCo to Punjab in 1980’s. He was a Congressman when it was an invitation to Assassination. (sic)"

Congress expels Kewal Singh Dhillon for anty-party activities

The AICC issued a press statement in this regard signed by the party's Punjab in-charge Harish Chaudhary. "The Disciplinary Action Committee has expelled Shri Kewal Singh Dhillon from the party with immediate effect in view of antiparty activities." 

Considered close to former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Dhillon was denied ticket for Assembly elections. Dhillon has represented Barnala in the state Assembly for two terms--  2007 and 2012. In 2017, he had lost his seat. 

Reportedly, Dhillon was hoping to get another chance from the Assembly constituency. However, Congress gave the ticket to former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's son, Manish Bansal, from Barnala. 

Punjab Elections

Assembly elections in Punjab will take place in a single phase on February 20 and votes will be counted on March 10. In the 2017 polls, Congress had won a whopping 77 seats in the 117-member House, while AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats. The SAD-BJP alliance could win only 18 seats.

In the 2022 polls, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party are going solo while BJP has formed an alliance with Captain Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and RS MP Sukhdev Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt). SAD has tied up with BSP in order to make a comeback in the state.