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Punjab Congress crisis: Sidhu raises appointments; let’s talk, says CM Channi
Navjot Singh Sidhu kept Punjab Congress government on tenterhooks on Wednesday, putting out a video to raise questions over the appointments of the advocate general, director general of police and “tainted leaders”, even as chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi invited him for a talk
A day after shooting off his resignation letter, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu kept his party’s government on tenterhooks on Wednesday, putting out a video to raise questions over the appointments of the advocate general, director general of police and “tainted leaders”, even as chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi invited him for a talk.
Channi, who is battling his first major political crisis just 10 days after taking over as the chief minister, offered to sit down and iron out differences, if any. “Whoever is party president is head of the family. I had told him (Sidhu) that the party is supreme and the government follows its ideology. I spoke to him over the phone and told him to come, sit and talk to resolve issues,” he said at a press conference here after the cabinet meeting, terming the response as “affirmative”. However, there was no indication when the two leaders would meet.
The chief minister had reached out to a sulking Sidhu after he broke his silence by posting a video message on Twitter with the caption, “I will fight for truth till my last breath”. Punjab cabinet ministers Pargat Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring were tasked by Channi to convince Sidhu to withdraw his resignation to end the standoff. Both ministers met the PPCC chief, whose resignation has not been accepted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, at his Patiala residence in the morning. “There are definitely some issues. We went to talk to him. I am sure these will be sorted out,” Pargat, a close confident of Sidhu, said after meeting him.
Two state unit working presidents and half-a-dozen legislators also met him.
The cricketer-turned-politician’s abrupt resignation, barely 72 days after he was appointed the state unit chief, pushed the Congress into a fresh crisis in poll-bound Punjab before it could recover from months of turmoil caused by a bitter tussle between Sidhu and his bête noire, then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, left the party divided.
Sidhu, in his four-and-a-half minute video, said he was ready to make any sacrifice but would always stand by his principles. “My first priority is to fight for justice that people have been waiting for,” he said, griping against some senior appointments made by the government in the past week without directly naming anyone.
In an apparent reference to the 2015 sacrilege incidents in Faridkot, Sidhu said those who gave clean chits to the Badals six years ago had been given the responsibility of delivering justice. DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota was the head of a special investigation team (SIT) formed in 2015 by the then Akali government to probe the sacrilege incidents. He also apparently questioned the appointment of senior advocate APS Deol as the new advocate general of Punjab. “My soul jitters when I see those who secured blanket bails, they are advocate general. What is the agenda here?” he asked. Deol was a counsel for former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and had represented him in cases related to police firing on Sikhs protesting against the Bargari sacrilege.
The Congress leader said that a system that included “tainted” leaders and officials, was being brought back after being dismantled, adding that he would oppose it. His remark is being viewed as an oblique reference to former minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s return to the state cabinet. Rana’s induction was also opposed by several party MLAs from Doaba region. Sidhu said that he had no personal grudge against anyone, nor had fought personal battles and his fight was always on issues and a pro-Punjab agenda. “I will not misguide the high command or let anyone do so,” he said, adding that he will take a stand and fight.
The party circles had been agog with speculations about Sidhu being miffed at not being allowed more say in cabinet expansion and appointments as some of his choices were overlooked. However, Channi struck a conciliatory note on these issues at his press conference, stating that these appointments were based on feedback received from various quarters. “If there is a feeling that someone has to be changed, I have no objection, no ego,” he said. He said that as sought by the party high command, the government would appoint a dedicated team of public prosecutors and lawyers to handle sensitive cases like the desecration incident and the subsequent police firing. He later held a meeting with the DGP and advocate general in the evening.
While the Congress high command, which had backed Sidhu to the hilt till now, is showing no urgency, opinion is divided on efforts to placate him with some party ministers, MLAs and other leaders, feeling that this crisis would be “detrimental to interests” of the party. Cabinet minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli said these kinds of situations ahead of the elections hurt. “He is a strong leader and should work to strengthen the party,” he told reporters. Ferozepur City MLA Parminder Singh Pinky also voiced his concern, whereas Amritsar South legislator Inderbir Singh Bolaria felt that when such a senior leader had raised all these issues, the high command should take note and address them.
Party leader Anish Sidana termed it as an unfortunate and impulsive decision. “A party can never be run by outsourcing democratic system…egoism has no place. Congress should learn from Punjab episode,” he tweeted. Meanwhile, the party has also started preparing for an eventuality where Sidhu does not take back his resignation. Rajasthan leader Harish Chaudhary, who was deployed as central observer for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held on September 18, is learnt to have reached Chandigarh.
