The Congress’ three-member panel constituted to resolve the infighting in Punjab party unit on Tuesday gave Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh virtually six months to keep the promises his party made before the 2017 elections, that were not fulfilled during past four-and-a-half years.
The deadline came during his three-hour-long meeting with the panel, led by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab party affairs’ in-charge Harish Rawat, and former MP JP Aggarwal.
At the same time, the panel also took a strong note of party MLA and former Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s “two families taking advantage in the State” remarks after “miffed” Chief Minister lodged a strong objection to such statements that too at a time when the efforts are on to resolve the issue.
In fact, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was also not happy with the former cricketer’s latest statements.
It has also been learnt that the matter has also reached the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi.
What is more, the final resolution to the prevailing crisis was also expected by the end of this week in terms of a new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) with the likely change in party leadership in the State.
However, there is still uncertainty over the role the high command will decide for Sidhu, whose unremitting diatribe against his own party’s Government and now against the Chief Minister is the key reason behind the formation of Kharge committee.
Sources informed The Pioneer, that the Chief Minister has told the panel that Sidhu’s statements are “unacceptable” and his continuous tirade would “dent” the party’s poll prospects besides lowering the party cadre’s morale.
Amarinder, during the meeting, raised strong objection to the fact that at the time when all out efforts were being made to resolve all the prevailing issues that too by the party high command, why Sidhu was going ahead criticising the Chief Minister, and the party with such comments.
It has been learnt that the three-member panel and the high command were also of the view that Sidhu should not have made a public statement.
“We have sought complete details of his statement…We have asked for the official version…he has been talking to the media, but we have our own means of communication,” said Harish Rawat after the meeting.
Amidst escalating tension in the State party unit over a slew of issues, Kharge panel also sought some clarifications from the Chief Minister over issues and problems raised by the party leaders, primarily the legislators and the Ministers, during previous meetings.
Notably, the three-member panel had met more than 100 party leaders from Punjab over a week’s time and concluding its series of meetings with the Chief Minister. Along with that, the party’s national vice-president Rahul Gandhi also held parallel discussions with the State leaders, especially the dissenters.
As a large section of the party MLAs raised objections over Capt Amarinder’s leadership and functioning, citing the State Government’s inaction in sacrilege and drugs cases, under representation of Dalits, and his inaccessibility.
Even as the panel had submitted its report to the high command ten days back recommending Amarinder to be Congress’ and Government’s face ahead 2022 polls, a final resolution is not in sight with the decision yet to be taken on a “suitable” role for Sidhu.
After Tuesday’s meeting, the panel has asked the Chief Minister to go full throttle to fulfill all the pre-poll promises, keep the legislators ‘satisfied’ ahead polls, besides addressing the dissent expressed by state party leaders over some issues. Responding, the Chief Minister assured the panel.
“The Chief Minister has been asked to speed up the work to resolve grievances raised by dissident leaders, especially MLAs. The panel told him that it is important to keep the MLAs satisfied and united before the elections,” said sources.
Notably, the Chief Minister has been meeting and holding talks with the party leaders, including those who have expressed dissent against him. Reports of his hush-hush meeting with his bête noire and known critic Partap Singh Bajwa had also surfaced, but the same was denied by both sides.
After the meeting, Kharge told the media that the Congress will fight the Punjab election together and the high command was also trying to resolve all the issues and grievances.
In fact, during the meeting, the committee also emphasised the need for unity, which, however, appears to be a tough task at the time when firebrand leader Sidhu is once again sharpening his attack against his own Chief Minister.
