At the time when the rivals are fortifying their fort ahead of 2022 Assembly polls, the ruling Congress party in Punjab is engaged in a show of strength within. The fissures within the State party unit is only widening with the three “dissident” Ministers, demanding Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s replacement, skipping the crucial Cabinet meeting on Thursday; with the Chief Minister engaging dinner diplomacy to show his might.
As per the claims made by Capt Amarinder’s supporters, as many as 55 legislators, besides eight parliamentarians, have reached for the dinner party at Cabinet Minister and Capt Amarinder’s staunch loyalist Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi’s residence. Other than that, representatives from 90 assembly constituencies, including the party’s ‘unsuccessful’ candidates in 2017 polls, have also attended the dinner party. Rana Sodhi had, a day before, sent out detailed invitations to all the party leaders, including MLAs, to attend the meeting at his residence. The invite also mentioned that the Chief Minister has “consented to join us”.
The dinner meeting is being seen as a “show of strength” by the Capt Amarinder camp, that comes at a time when a section of party leaders, including four Ministers claiming the support of about 34 legislators, have raised the demand to replace the Chief Minister, asserting that they have lost faith in Capt Amarinder’s leadership.
None of the Minister or legislators, who met the state party affairs general secretary in-charge at Dehradun a day before, attended the Rana Sodhi’s dinner. However, it is also not clear whether they have been invited.