4 Punjab ministers, two dozen MLAs say they have no faith in CM; dissidents meet Sidhu

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24

In an open revolt against Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, four Punjab ministers and nearly two dozen state MLAs on Tuesday announced that they had no faith in the Chief Minister as far as fulfilling the election promises is concerned, indirectly seeking his replacement.

“Changing the CM is the prerogative of the party high command. But we have lost faith in him,” pointed out ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa and Charanjit Channi.

Also read: Punjab Congress ministers and MLAs call for action against Navjot Sidhu’s advisors

Dissidents also met Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on the issue. 

"Got a call from Tripat Bajwa ji asking for an emergency meeting... Met him along with other colleagues at the PPCC office. Will apprise the high command of the situation," Sidhu said in a Facebook post.

The development taking place a day ahead of Punjab affairs incharge Harish Rawat’s Chandigarh visit has further deepened the crisis in the Punjab Congress amid the shadow fight between the CM and PPCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu.

After arriving at a wider consensus during a meeting called at the Sector 39 residence of minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa, the three other ministers, along with the MLAs, authorised a five-member delegation to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the earliest.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, however, was not present at the meeting.

Ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa, Tript Rajinder Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria and Charanjit Channi and PPCC general secretary and MLA Pargat Singh will seek time to meet the Congress president.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Sukhjinder Randhawa and Charanjit Channi said it is sure that they would not be able to win the elections under the current chief minister. “We have the best portfolios. But we are not bothered. Our concern is that the poll promises like justice in Bargari and scrapping the faulty power purchase agreements have not been fulfilled.”

The ministers and MLAs felt that in the scaling up of the shadow fight between the CM and Navjot Sindhu, the core issue for which party leaders appeared before the Kharge panel was not being addressed.

The development comes ahead of the impending cabinet reshuffle.

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