Dissidents in Delhi, Capt Amarinder camp meets over dinner

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 26

As dissident ministers today reached Delhi as part of their efforts to meet top party leaders to air their grievances against Capt Amarinder Singh, the pro-Chief Minister camp organised a dinner at minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi’s residence in a show of strength.

Also read: Punjab Congress tussle deepens, Harish Rawat tells Navjot Sidhu to shunt out his two advisers

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The CM was seen with most of his ministers, including 57 MLAs, also comprising some from the dissident camp, along with eight MPs at the dinner this evening. The dinner is being seen as an attempt to send across the message to CM’s detractors and the party leadership in Delhi.

Yesterday, AICC general secretary Harish Rawat had said the 2022 Punjab elections would be fought under Capt Amarinder Singh’s leadership. Sodhi told The Tribune he had hosted the dinner for like-minded party leaders and to show solidarity with the CM.

Show of solidarity

I had hosted the dinner for like-minded party leaders and to show solidarity with CM Capt Amarinder Singh. —Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Minister

The four ministers — Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi — had met Rawat at Dehradun yesterday, seeking CM’s removal, saying he had failed to fulfil some key poll promises.

There was a flurry of activity in Delhi as Rawat reached the national capital in the evening. Before briefing the party high command on the issues raised by dissident leaders, Rawat would meet MP Malikaarjun Kharge, who headed the three-member panel to listen to Punjab issues.

“Amid the tussle between the CM and Navjot Singh Sidhu camp, the outcome of the revolt raised by the rebels would be known by the line of action taken by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi after being briefed by Rawat. The tension between the two camps is far from over,” said a senior leader.

Earlier in the day, Tript Bajwa failed to show up at the Punjab Congress Bhawan as part of the duties assigned by the CM, asking ministers to sit there on a rotational basis.