Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday met former state unit president Sunil Jakhar, who was issued a show-cause notice for “anti-party statements” five days ago, to express solidarity with him.
Sidhu met Jakhar at his residence in Panchkula along with former MLAs Ashwani Sekhri and Navtej Singh Cheema among others. Jakhar was issued the notice by the Congress disciplinary action committee headed by former Union minister AK Antony following a letter from Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary to party president Sonia Gandhi. He has sought action against the former state chief for “denting” the party with his statements during the assembly elections, besides his alleged remarks made against former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Sidhu and others were with Jakhar for nearly one hour. Jakhar has been given one week to reply.
Both Sidhu and Jakhar did not speak to the media over their meeting. Sekhri, however, said they met Jakhar to express solidarity and give the message that truth and goodness would remain alive in politics. “Honest and meaningful people are joining hands with Sidhu in his fight to end the role of mafia in state politics. Our mission is to give the message that the Congress is for honesty and integrity,” he said.
Sekhri said they (including Sidhu) would travel to Jalandhar and Bathinda in the next couple of days to meet veteran party leaders. Asked if their meetings, parallel to the ones being held by newly appointed state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, were not sending a signal of the party being a divided house, the former MLA said there was no parallel programme. He said the state president decided to visit Amritsar all of a sudden whereas Sidhu had decided on his programme about 10 days ago. “There could be some difference of opinion within the party, but we are all together,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Sekhri said they (including Sidhu) would travel to Jalandhar and Bathinda in the next couple of days to meet veteran party leaders. Asked if their meetings, parallel to the ones being held by newly appointed state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, were not sending a signal of the party being a divided house, the former MLA said there was no parallel programme. He said the state president decided to visit Amritsar all of a sudden whereas Sidhu had decided on his programme about 10 days ago. “There could be some difference of opinion within the party, but we are all together,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Besides visiting the grain market, Sidhu and others also met former MLAs Amrik Singh Dhillon and Lal Singh. Dhillon, who did not get the Congress ticket from Samrala in the state polls, was expelled from the party on February 18 for entering the fray against the official candidate. “Nothing political should be read in these meetings. Sidhu met them to enquire about their health,” a Sidhu loyalist said. Dhillon had suffered a brain stroke last month. Another senior party leader said Sidhu is trying to show that he is active. Sidhu was among the five state chiefs who were asked to put in their papers after the Congress’ debacle in the state elections.