Punjab Congress crisis: Capt Amarinder camp ups ante against Navjot Singh Sidhu

Rajmeet Singh

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27

Contrary to Punjab affairs in charge Harish Rawat’s statement that the situation is under control in Punjab Congress, squabbling in the state party unit is far from over.

PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ‘freedom’ remark hours after resignation by his adviser Malwinder Singh Mali on Friday gave enough ammunition to the Captain Amarinder camp to turn the heat back on Sidhu and dissidents.

A day after showing up at a dinner hosted by minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, attended by 45 MLAs, including eight ministers and four MPs, in a show of solidarity with the CM, Capt Amarinder Singh today called on senior party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal at her Sector 2 residence here.

Statement irresponsible: leaders

• The Congress chief should take cognisance of Sidhu’s irresponsible statement, said Anish Sidana, a party leader
• Sidhu should be issued a stern warning for unwarranted public statements, said MM Cheema, another leader

On his part, Sidhu, after facing flak for saying “I can’t be a dummy chief who is not allowed to take decisions”, today released a full video of his speech, made during a function in Amritsar on Thursday, on the Punjab model.

The internal squabbling has once again reached Delhi, with Rawat briefing party president Sonia Gandhi on the state of affairs in Punjab.

Rawat is learnt to have met state leader Kuljit Nagra in Delhi. The party high command is learnt to have taken a serious view of the squabbling. With stern message from the high command, Rawat could visit Chandigarh in the coming days to sort things out, said sources.

Sources said Rawat was also peeved at Sidhu over Mali’s appointment. Rawat had to issue a statement asking the PCC chief to sack his two advisers over their recent controversial remarks.

On the other hand, sources close to Sidhu said he was unhappy at Rawat’s statement regarding contesting the 2022 Assembly elections under Capt Amarinder Singh.

Recently, Rawat had said Sidhu must understand he was not in the Opposition party, but the president of the ruling party. “By creating two power centres, the party high command has created a state of confusion among the leaders as to who their boss is,” said a senior party leader. Another party leader, MM Cheema, said Sidhu should be issued a stern warning for unwarranted public statements.