Chandigarh: Though Congress has maintained that the political crisis in Punjab has been resolved, it seems that the squabbling in the state party unit is not over yet. On Friday, Navjot Singh Sidhu once again attacked the party leadership in Punjab with his “freedom” remark, forcing the Congres top brass to intervene again.
Following Sidhu’s statement, senior party leader Harish Singh Rawat, who is Congress in charge of Punjab, said that he will meet Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia on Saturday to discuss the situation in the state. However, Rawat, in a veiled attack at Sidhu, said that Punjab leaders “should act in a manner so that they are not misinterpreted” that might hurt the party.
“I will meet Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji on Saturday to apprise them about all the matter. Punjab leaders should act accordingly so that their actions and statements do not get misinterpreted. It will harm the party, especially Punjab Congress,” Rawat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Sidhu has been at loggerheads with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh since May this year. The crisis was briefly resolved after Sidhu was made Punjab Congress chief despite the reservations from Captain Amarinder and some senior state party leaders.
However, things once again started to look bleak in Punjab after Sidhu’s advisors — Malwinder Singh Mali and Dr Pyare Lal Garg — made controversial statements on Jammu and Kashmir and the relationship between India and Pakistan, forcing Captain Amarinder to summon them and issue a warning.
Later, Congress directed Sidhu to sack Mali and Dr Garg warned that the party will do the same if he fails to do so. Following this, Mali submitted his resignation on Friday after which Sidhu alleged that he was not being given the freedom to make decisions in the state.
Sidhu’s revolt might hurt Congress in Punjab which is seeking to retain the power in the state. Assembly elections are slated to take place in Punjab in February or March next year. In the previous elections in 2017, Congress had won 77 out of 117 total seats, returning to power in the state.
Bureau Report
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