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A day after Capt announces to form new party, Channi meets Rahul
Rahul takes feedback from the CM on steps being taken to keep the flock together, besides discussing the strategy for the assembly polls, a person privy to the developments said
Chandigarh
Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday amid apprehensions about the fallout of his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh’s plans to form a separate party in next few days.
The meeting at the former party president’s residence that lasted close to two-and-a-half hours was also attended by All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and newly appointed Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary.
Rahul took feedback from the CM on the steps being taken to keep the flock together, besides discussing the strategy for the assembly polls in the wake of the two-time former CM’s announcement to field candidates in all the 117 seats, a person privy to the developments said.
Channi’s meeting with the central leadership came a day after Amarinder confirmed that he is launching his new party and only waiting for the Election Commission to approve its name and symbol. The former CM, who is still to quit the Congress, also said at a press conference that some leaders from the Congress were in touch with him.
The Congress leadership is wary of party leaders, who have been close to Amarinder, joining him and has reached out to several such leaders. Rahul held separate meetings with four MLAs Balbir Singh Sidhu, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Sunder Sham Arora and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, who were ministers in the Amarinder government and got dropped in the new dispensation, on Tuesday, telling them that they were not included in the Channi cabinet to give opportunity to other legislators.
Amarinder had resigned as the Punjab chief minister on September 18 amid a tussle with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and rebellion by several ministers and MLAs.
Channi is also learnt to have briefed the central leaders about the welfare measures taken by his government.
Jakhar’s dig at Channi’s Delhi trip, Kejriwal responds with smiley
Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar took a dig at Channi’s frequent trips to the national capital. “Punjab CM in Delhi, Delhi CM in Punjab, yet again! Must say, at least one of them has got his timing right,” he tweeted.
The post elicited an instant response from AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who responded with a smiley on Twitter. Kejriwal is on his fourth trip to the poll-bound state in two months.
Former Akali leader joins Cong
Punjab Rifle Association vice-president and former Akali Dal leader Parminder Singh Brar joined the Congress. He joined the party in Delhi in Venugopal’s presence.
