Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday, 6 July, met Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi at her residence, amid efforts by the party high command to resolve the factionalism in the party’s state unit ahead of the Assembly polls next year. The CM said that he would accept 'whatever decision is taken by the Congress high command'.
"I had come to meet the Congress president, discussed internal matters of the party and the Punjab development issue. Whatever decision she takes as far as Punjab is concerned, we are ready for it. We are totally geared up for the upcoming elections," he told reporters after the meeting, reported ANI.
Further, he said that he would not comment on Navjot Singh Sidhu, adding that he had met with Gandhi in order to strengthen the party.
Though Singh was in Delhi twice last month to meet the three-member Congress panel trying to resolve the infighting in Punjab party unit, Singh did not get to meet with the Gandhis.
Singh’s meeting with Sonia Gandhi comes just days after Navjot Singh Sidhu met Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi to present his side.
Meanwhile, Sidhu has been counting on Priyanka and Rahul for support in his standoff with the two-time chief minister.
A senior state leader was quoted as saying, “Tuesday’s meeting is an indication that discussions on resolving the rift in Punjab Congress have entered the phase of final decision-making on how to accommodate Sidhu,” Hindustan Times reported.
The chief minister is opposed to Sidhu having the role of heading Punjab Congress.
All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge Punjab affairs Harish Rawat had, on 24 June, stated that the Congress president would take a decision on the government and organisational set-ups by 8 to 10 July.
While Sidhu’s team said he is back in Patiala, his continued attacks on the chief minister on the ongoing power crisis and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have left party members wondering if the rift will worsen.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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