Don’t know about Sidhu…will go with high command: Amarinder

WITH THE Congress central leadership finally stepping in to tackle the crisis that has gripped its Punjab unit months ahead of Assembly elections, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Tuesday met Sonia Gandhi and said he will abide by any decision taken by the party president.

Singh, however, told reporters that he does not “know anything about (Navjot Singh) Sidhu” when asked whether the meeting also covered issues raised by the former cricketer, who has emerged as the face of dissent in the Punjab Congress.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had last week met Sidhu and are said to have offered him a prominent role in the party.

During Tuesday’s meeting, which lasted for nearly 90 minutes, Gandhi and Singh discussed issues related to the party and the functioning of the Punjab government. Gandhi is also believed to have discussed with the Chief Minister the role envisaged for Sidhu.

“Many internal matters related to our party as also the development of Punjab…we discussed all that. Whatever decision the Congress president takes as far as the Punjab party is concerned, or whatever other political activity, we are all geared up to take full action on whatever she wishes,” Singh told reporters.

“We have no problem in Punjab. Punjab is totally geared up for the coming elections and whatever decision the Congress party, the Congress president may take on anything, we are all ready for it,” he said.

Asked about the problems in the state unit and Sidhu, he said: “I do not know anything about Sidhu saab. I discussed with the (party) president the work being done by the Punjab government. We also discussed political issues…whatever decision is taken from here, on anything, on the party or anything else, we will implement it,” he said.

Asked specifically about Sidhu’s repeated attacks on him, Singh replied: “Ask him.”

This was Sonia Gandhi’s first meeting with the embattled Chief Minister since she set up a three-member panel headed by Mallikarjun Kharge to look into the infighting within the state unit, triggered by a wave of discontent among party MLAs and senior leaders.

The panel, which met over 150 party leaders from the state, had submitted a detailed report to Sonia Gandhi last month. While Amarinder was in Delhi twice to meet the panel, there had been no meeting between him and the Gandhis.

Sources said the appointment of a new state party chief and reorganisation of the set-up, including a Cabinet reshuffle, will now follow. While Sidhu is said to be eyeing the post of state chief, Amarinder has suggested Cabinet minister and Hindu leader Vijay Inder Singla’s name.

According to sources, the Chief Minister also suggested to Sonia Gandhi that a few Ministers need to be dropped in the Cabinet reshuffle.

Party general secretary in-charge Harish Rawat, who was said to be indisposed, was not present in the meeting. Later, Amarinder was joined by several leaders including Singla, Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Ravneet Bittu and others.

(With Kanchan Vasdev in Chandigarh)