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Punjab Congress crisis: Frantic mediation on as ministers, MLAs reach out to Navjot Sidhu
Newly inducted ministers Pargat Singh and Amrinder Raja Warring, who visited Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu a day before, meet him again before leaving to attend a cabinet meeting
Amid a deepened political crisis in the Congress’s Punjab unit triggered by the resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu from the post of the party’s state chief, two ministers and at least five MLAs on Wednesday visited the cricketer-turned-politician at his Patiala residence to pacify him.
Newly inducted cabinet ministers Pargat Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who had visited Sidhu a day before, met him again on Wednesday morning before leaving for Chandigarh to attend a cabinet meeting.
Sidhu reportedly told them that he won’t budge and they should not insist for a patch-up. Later, he posted a video on social media, claiming that he was fighting for issues, and not for his personal gain.
The Congress high command had on Tuesday rejected his resignation.
Congress MLA Fatehjung Singh Bajwa, who had previously sided with former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh during his turf war with Sidhu, also met the Punjab Congress chief along with fellow legislator Balwinder Singh Laddi.
Also, MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, who was miffed over being not being given a cabinet berth, had a marathon meeting with Sidhu. MLAs Inderbir Singh Bolaria and Satkar Kaur along with state Congress working president Sukhwinder Danny also held a spate meeting with the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president.
Dhiman, Danny and Bolaria had visited the PPCC chief on Tuesday as well.
“Sidhu has decided not to budge under any pressure and fight for the issues flagged by all, including CM Charanjit Singh Channi, during a meeting with the Congress high command. How can they make appointments of people who worked against the promises made by the Congress?” a key aide of the former cricketer questioned.
The appointment of APS Deol as advocate general only added fuel to fire as Sidhu was already upset with giving charge of the director general of police (DGP) to IPS Sahota, he added.
