A day after Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh was given a deadline to fulfil all pre-poll promises by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) three-member panel, the senior Congress leader returned to Chandigarh without meeting the Gandhis — Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi — commonly addressed as the party high command.
On the other hand, Rahul continued meeting the party leaders from Punjab for the third consecutive day, including State Congress president Sunil Kumar Jakhar, Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Rahul also met Punjab party affairs’ in-charge Harish Rawat, who apprised him of panel’s meeting with the Chief Minister.
At the same time, taking strong note of the recent statements by the Congress MLA and firebrand leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, the high command may also summon the former cricketer soon. Notably, the Chief Minister lodged strong objection against Sidhu’s “two families taking advantage in the State” remarks, regarding which the high command has also sought details.
Pressure seems to be mounting on Capt Amarinder with the party high command taking a tough stand, and conveying it to the CM that he has to fulfil all the promises made to the people before the State goes to 2022 polls.
Even as Rahul continued to meet the State party leaders, especially those criticising the Chief Minister, a rendezvous with Capt Amarinder was not on his list.
Meanwhile, Rahul continued his one on one meetings and met Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Singh Bajwa mainly to take a first-hand feedback of the prevailing situation and ground realities in the state after the infighting escalated.
Downplaying the ongoing crisis in the State party unit after meeting Rahul, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Jakhar said the main issue under consideration is how to make the party come together for the next Assembly elections and emerge victorious.