Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22

Hours after Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were finally seen together on stage at a workers’ meet in Ludhiana, the two leaders along with Punjab affairs incharge Harish Chaudhary flew to Delhi to hold meetings with the party’s top leadership. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal also accompanied them.

With Chaudhary’s efforts, the party’s state leadership is finally being seen together to begin campaigning as a cohesive unit ahead of the Assembly elections. While Congress leaders said the meeting was part of its organisational interaction with leaders from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi and Haryana, sources said the party was re-strategising its poll campaign in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing withdrawal of the central farm laws and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal trying to make inroads by announcing populist measures. The Punjab leaders have scheduled meetings with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal. The sources said to counter the “aam aadmi” narrative of Keriwal-led AAP, the party was working on branding Channi as the “real aam aadmi”.

Focus on Hindu, SC vote bank now

The party plans to utilise Channi, Sidhu and a Hindu face during campaigning. Consolidating the Hindu and Dalit vote bank is the focus area. — A party leader

CM, FM at wedding

• CM Charanjit Channi, FM Manpreet Badal and some MLAs reportedly attended the wedding of Speaker Rana KP’s son at Udaipur in Rajasthan on Sunday
• Rana had on April 26 announced postponement of the event scheduled for May 7 due to Covid