At odds with Punjab CM Amarinder, Navjot Singh Sidhu to meet Congress panel today
This comes a day after the panel met with 25 MLAs at the party's 'war room' in New Delhi to iron out the differences between Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his former cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu ahead of next year's assembly polls.
After the first round of talks between a three-member panel, formed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to resolve the widening differences between its leaders from the Punjab unit, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is expected to attend a meeting at 11:30 am on Tuesday.
This comes a day after the panel met with 25 MLAs at the party's 'war room' at 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road in the national capital for the first time in New Delhi on Monday to iron out the differences between Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his former cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu ahead of next year's assembly polls. The party is looking to fight the upcoming Assembly polls in Punjab next year.
A panel member, however, maintained that there are no differences and only small issues are left to be resolved, news agency ANI reported.
Also read: Sidhu dares Capt Amarinder to prove he wanted to switch sides
"Today (Monday) we spoke to 25 MLAs. There are no differences. There was no talk on the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh. Everyone has said their point. There are small issues to be resolved. We will give our report. Tomorrow (June 1), Navjot Singh Sidhu will come," panel member JP Aggarwal said on Monday, ANI reported.
Sidhu has been critical of the Punjab chief minister the Punjab and Haryana high court in April quashed a probe into the 2015 Kotkapura firing incident, which had taken place during a protest against the desecration of a religious text in Faridkot district. The CM, too, had slammed Sidhu, calling his outbursts “total indiscipline” and suggesting that he might be leaving for the AAP.
In the latest episode of contention, former Punjab minister Sidhu on May 21 challenged him to prove that he had not met any leader of another party for switching sides.
Also read: Congress battle lines deepen in Punjab amid louder rumblings
“Prove one meeting that I have had with another party’s leader. I have never asked anyone for any post till date. All I seek is Punjab’s prosperity. Was invited and offered Cabinet berths many times but I did not accept. Now, our esteemed high command has intervened, Will wait,” the Amritsar East MLA tweeted.
Singh and Sidhu met in March following reports that the Congress central leadership had been trying to rehabilitate the MLA, who had resigned as minister after he was divested of the local body’s portfolio in 2019. After the meeting, the chief minister expressed confidence that Sidhu would be back in his cabinet.
Turmoil in Punjab Cong: 3 ministers seek Sidhu’s scalp after his fresh salvo at Captain
Sidhu had joined the Congress after leaving the BJP before the 2017 assembly elections.
On April 27, Amarinder Singh had challenged Sidhu to contest polls against him from Patiala.
The CM also warned that indiscipline would not be tolerated in the party at any cost and that if Sidhu wanted to contest against him then he is free to do so, but that would only lead to Sidhu meeting the fate of General JJ Singh who lost his security deposit in the election.
