AICC general secretary Harish Rawat said after an intense meeting with the cricketer-turned-politician at the party headquarters in the state on Thursday that Navjot Singh Sidhu will continue as Punjab Congress chief. The meeting, which also included veteran Congress leader KC Venugopal, was apparently upset over the appointments and cabinet reshuffles under Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi after Sidhu posted his resignation on Twitter last month.
“Navjot Sidhu has categorically stated that the decision of the Congress President will be acceptable to him. The instructions are clear that he should act as the Punjab Congress President and establish the organizational structure. An announcement will be made tomorrow,” Rawat said after the meeting.
Sidhu also appeared subdued. “All my concerns regarding Punjab have been conveyed to the high command and I have full faith in Sonia, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi that whatever decision they take, it will be for the benefit of Congress and Punjab,” he said.
Channi had replaced Amarinder Singh as the state’s chief minister last month and Sidhu was reportedly unhappy with the allocation of cabinet portfolios and appointments of advocate general and director general of police.
While the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had not taken any decision on Sidhu’s resignation, Channi and some state leaders are trying to persuade the Punjab Congress chief to withdraw his resignation.
Sidhu had said in a cryptic tweet on October 2, “Gandhi ji and Shastri ji will uphold the principles of the post or no post will stand by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi”. With every ounce of energy, Punjab will win, Punjabiyat (Universal Brotherhood) will win and every Punjabi will win.” Sidhu had earlier held meetings and discussions with party MLAs and leaders and workers regarding the organizational structure.
The appointment of office bearers and district heads of the new body of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) is yet to be made. Sidhu was made the Punjab Congress chief in July, despite strong opposition from the then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
The party also appointed four working presidents of the PPCC. Later, two general secretaries and a treasurer of the Punjab Congress were also appointed.
However, after Sidhu raised questions on the appointments of the Director General of Police, State Advocate General and tainted leaders, the party set up a coordination panel to be consulted before any major decision was taken by the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government.
(with PTI inputs)
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