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Don’t air differences with CM Amarinder in public: Cong’s Punjab affairs in-charge Rawat to Sidhu camp
Sources privy to the meeting said Sidhu conveyed his displeasure to Rawat over no action being taken on issues flagged by him. Sidhu maintained that if the key issues of drugs trafficking, cancellation of power purchase agreements with private thermal plants and sacrilege are resolved, no one can stop the party from securing a thumping win in the upcoming assembly polls.
Amid the ongoing rift between Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, AICC general secretary and state in-charge Harish Rawat on Tuesday told the Sidhu camp to refrain from airing their differences with the CM publicly as it can dent the party’s poll prospects.
Rawat, who arrived in Chandigarh to douse the fire of renewed feud between Captain and Sidhu, held a closed-door meeting with the PPCC chief and his team for nearly three hours.
The meeting was attended by PPCC general secretary Pargat Singh and two co-presidents Kuljit Singh Nagra and Pawan Goel.
Sources privy to the meeting said Sidhu conveyed his displeasure to Rawat over no action being taken on issues flagged by him. Sidhu maintained that if the key issues of drugs trafficking, cancellation of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with private thermal plants and sacrilege are resolved, no one can stop the party from securing a thumping win in the upcoming assembly polls.
Rawat, however, asked Sidhu and his aides to maintain discipline and not do anything that can dent party in the polls.
Hours before Rawat’s arrival, Sidhu targeted his own government over its “failure to nab the drug traffickers in its tenure of over four years.” On Monday, Sidhu had upped ante on PPAs and demanded an extended assembly session to scrap them.
Rawat kicks up row
After emerging out of the meeting, Rawat told mediapersons that he had met Panj Pyaras and all issues had been sorted out. He added that party’s office- bearers will be appointed within 15 days. Rawat’s statement evoked a sharp reaction from SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema who said the Congress leader has no right to equate his partymen, who are patits and have no knowledge about the Sikh religion, with Panj Pyaras (five beloved ones) who have a special place in Sikhism.
He asked Rawat to withdraw his “irresponsible” statement and offer apology. “Otherwise, we will file a case against him for hurting religious sentiments,” Cheema said. On being contacted, Rawat’s aides said he will give a statement tomorrow.
