CHANDIGARH — Punjab Congress leader Pargat Singh has taken a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging that both parties provide little room for internal democracy and that their leaders cannot freely put forward their suggestions.In a post on social media on Thursday, Singh contrasted the functioning of BJP and AAP with that of the Congress, claiming that the Congress has a stronger culture of internal discussion where leaders are able to express their views.
“BJP and AAP have little space for internal democracy—leaders cannot even freely put forward their suggestions,” Singh said.He added that, in his view, “In Congress, there is internal democracy and everyone’s voice is heard.”
Differences are part of democracy, says Singh
Singh also addressed the issue of differences within political parties, saying that disagreements among leaders should not automatically be viewed as a sign of weakness.“Differences are a sign of democracy; they should be resolved within the party,” he said.At the same time, Singh acknowledged that internal disagreements should not routinely become public controversies.“Yes, our leaders should keep internal discussions within the party rather than making them public,” he said.
Call for internal resolution
Singh’s comments come amid continuing political debate in Punjab over how political parties handle differences among their own leaders.While defending the Congress’s internal democratic space, he also stressed the importance of maintaining discipline and resolving disagreements through internal mechanisms rather than through public statements.His remarks therefore carried two messages: political parties should provide space for their leaders to express differing views, but those differences should ultimately be discussed and resolved within the organisation.
Singh’s comments were made in the context of his broader argument about the importance of internal democracy in political parties. His assessment of BJP and AAP was presented as his political view rather than an independently established finding.The statement is likely to add to the ongoing debate in Punjab over party organisation, leadership, dissent and the role of internal democracy in political decision-making.