Sidhu's 'crowning' has to wait as Amarinder sulks

After the infighting in the Punjab Congress intensified, party's disgruntled leader Navjot Singh Sidhu met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. The meeting lasted for almost one hour. However, the picture still remains unclear as Sidhu refused to speak to the media after the meeting. Meanwhile, Capt Amarinder also called Sonia Gandhi to express his resentment over his rival's elevation.

New Delhi: Amid dramatic twists in the ongoing tussle within Punjab Congress, party's disgruntled leader Navjot Singh Sidhu reached the national capital to meet the party high command. Sidhu had a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior leader Rahul Gandhi at 10 Janpath on Friday morning. Punjab Congress incharge Harish Rawat was also present in the meeting.

The meeting lasted for almost one hour. However, the picture still remains unclear as Sidhu refused to speak to the media afterwards. It is being speculated that Sidhu is likely to get the post of Punjab Congress Chief. The party sources informed that Congress is working on a formula of having a PCC Chief with the appointment of two working presidents to strike a balance among the caste and communities.

It is expected that there will be one Hindu and one Dalit leader for the post of working presidents. The names of Vijay Inder Singla and Choudhary Santokh Singh is doing rounds for the post. Meanwhile, Rawat informed the media that no final decision over the revamp of Punjab Congress has been taken till now. "I came here to submit a note to Congress President. Until she decides anything over the matter, I can't say anything," the Punjab Congress in-charge said.

On Thursday, amid the reports of Sidhu becoming the PCC Chief, it is believed that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is resistant to the party leadership's plan to elevate his rival. As per the sources, he made a call to Congress president showing his resentment over the move. The CM even called an emergency meeting with his loyal MLAs, ministers and MPs, late night on Thursday, at his farmhouse in Siswan.

According to sources Capt Amarinder has written a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressing resentment over the expected appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab PCC Chief. It is learned Rawat will Chandigarh tomorrow to meet Captain and other senior leaders of the party.

Meanwhile, Capt's OSD had come to meet Sonia Gandhi's PS ahead of her meeting with Sidhu. It is being said that he had come to submit Capt's letter to the Congress President.

However, the Chief Minister's Office denied news of Capt leaving the party in view of Sidhu getting appointed as PCC Chief. Raveen Thukral, media advisor of Capt Singh clarified the matter on Twitter, "Media reports of CM Capt Amarinder Singh resigning are humbug. He has neither quit nor offered to do so. He will lead Punjab Congress to victory in 2022 Assembly poll as he did in 2017."

While the party high command is on the verge of making an announcement over the truce formula of the Punjab crisis, the resentment between the two camps of Capt Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to persist. This truce for the Punjab Congress crisis will be a "peace-making" formula or not, still remains a question.