‘Some Punjab MLAs Rush to Delhi’, Others Meet Rawat in Doon as Amarinder-Sidhu Tussle Picks Pace Again

Punjab AICC in-charge and former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat is set to meet four party ministers and three MLAs who reached Dehradun on Wednesday amid power tussle between the camps of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress chief Navjot Sidhu.

Speaking to News18, Rawat said that Singh had welcomed Sidhu himself, and the decision on elevation was not taken without Punjab CM’s approval. “Captain had welcomed high command’s decision. I will try to solve the matter. In case I am unable, I will bring it to the notice of Congress leadership in Delhi,” the AICC in-charge added.

Punjab Congress MLA Pargat Singh said that there’s resentment among legislators due to non-settlement of issues. “I suggest that Congress high command, under the supervision of AICC observer and CM should call a meeting of all MLAs and decide after discussing with them,” he added.

Pargat Singh further said, “Definitely, some people have gone to Delhi and I’ll also go there. There is no problem with it. We shouldn’t divert the issues. Captain Amarinder Singh is our CM and we don’t disagree with it but work has to be done.”

Rawat further said that when changes were being introduced in PCC, he had no idea about possible issues that could come up. “We’ll find a solution. Everyone trusts Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. We’ll look into the matter and try to resolve it,” he said.

The tussle between the two leaders intensified on Tuesday with four cabinet ministers and several party legislators openly pitching for the CM’s removal, saying he failed to fulfill some key poll promises.

Sidhu too was targeted by a group of Punjab ministers and MLAs, loyal to CM Amarinder Singh, who demanded strong action against his two advisors over their “patently anti-national and pro-Pakistan comments”, warning it could cause massive damage to the Congress in the run-up to the Punjab Assembly polls due in less than six months.

The two advisors of Sidhu have sparked a row with their comments. Malvinder Singh Mali had claimed that “Kashmir is a country of Kashmiri people” while another advisor Pyare Lal Garg had taken a swipe at the CM for criticising Pakistan, saying it is not in Punjab’s interest. Earlier, Amarinder Singh had asked Sidhu to “rein in” his advisors and had described their remarks as atrocious and ill-conceived.