Majithia "expletives" issue: Cong settles for solution

Chandigarh: The exchange of alleged expletives between a cabinet minister and a sitting Congress MLA that marred the proceedings of the last Assembly session is all set to die down with the opposition prepared for an "amicable resolution" to the incident.

"My idea is to resolve the issue before March 13," Leader of Opposition in Punjab assembly Sunil Kumar Jakhar told reporters here on Monday. He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh were closetted in a meeting in the Speaker`s chamber today. "Nobody accepted or refused (whether they hurled abusives at each other or not)", he said. Sources said settlement was reached between Majithia and Singh. Besides, Majithia and the Congress MLA hugged each other and exchanged pleasantries in presence of Badal and others in the Speaker`s chamber, they said. A day after new Punjab Congress Chief Partap Singh Bajwa asserted that the issue had not died down, Jakhar said, "Badal`s approach on the issue was very positive." "The idea of Congress is not to hamper the proceedings of the House. We want the House must proceed in a dignified manner. We will participate in the proceedings," Jakhar said opposing his earlier stand that the opposition would not allow the proceedings of the Assembly till Majithia resigns as cabinet minister for his behaviour. The last Assembly session of the Punjab government was adjourned on an acrimonious note with opposition Congress accusing ruling Akalis minister Majithia for allegedly hurling abuses at Rana during the session. Later, the "expletives" allegedly hurled by Majithia also went viral with both sides accusing each other of indulging in unparliamentary behaviour. PTI