Something around that: Harish Rawat on Navjot Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief

Aditi Tandon and Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Chandigarh, July 15

Amid speculation over MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu becoming Punjab Congress president, AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat met party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence late Thursday evening.

Asked after the meeting whether Sidhu was to be named state Congress chief, he replied: “I never said that. I only said that whatever decision is taken would be around these lines,” adding that Capt Amarinder Singh would continue as CM. In Chandigarh, CM’s media adviser Raveen Thukral termed reports of CM offering to quit as humbug. “He will lead the party to victory in 2022 as he did in 2017,” he said.

AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is backing Sidhu after the party ordered a survey in Punjab which revealed his popularity, claimed sources. Ahead of Rawat’s meeting with Captain on Friday, there was hectic political activity in the rival camps of the Punjab Congress throughout the day. The buzz over Sidhu being considered for the post of PPCC chief started after he arrived at the residence of minister Sukhjinder Randhawa where he held a closed-door meeting with ministers Tript Rajinder Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria, Charanjit Channi and MLAs Kuljit Nagra, Pargat Singh, Barindermeet Pahra and Kulbir Zira, who have been critical of the CM for not fulfilling poll promises.

“We are not against the CM. We will abide by any decision taken by the high command regarding the new PPCC president or Cabinet rejig,” one of the leaders said after the meeting. Reports suggest that the new PPCC chief would be assisted by two working presidents, one Hindu and the other Dalit.