New Delhi, December 5
With the Congress high command ascertaining views of party leaders from Punjab on the leadership issue, the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today hosted lunch for party MPs from the state and met senior leaders Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel and Mohsina Kidwai.

At the luncheon meeting with the party MPs, the Chief Minister gave them compact discs (CDs) containing details of properties of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The MPs, who will face Lok Sabha elections in less than a year, gave their suggestions to tone up the functioning of the government.

Dr Manmohan Singh and Ms Kidwai had met the party MPs on Wednesday to know their assessment of the political situation. Mr Ashwani Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday.

Sources said MPs from the state, while disagreeing with some of the steps of the state government in the case against Badals, urged the high command to take steps to remove causes of bitterness in the state unit. A few MPs told the high command that the Chief Minister was taking steps to redress the grievances of party MLAs and MPs and the prevailing situation in the state did not warrant a change of leadership. They said the Congress organisation should be strengthened to fight the forces inimical to the party.

Five of the eight Lok Sabha MPs besides Mr Kumar, were present at the meeting with the Chief Minister today. Mr R.L Bhatia, Mr G. S Ghalib and Mr S.S Dullo could not come due to prior engagements. The Chief Minister met Dr Manmohan Singh in the evening.