Sidhu to meet top Congress leaders in Delhi

Navjot Singh Sidhu who has been continuously criticizing Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh is expected to meet Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi. A report by Niyamika Singh, Reporter, ETV Bharat.

New Delhi: Amid infighting in the Congress party in Punjab, its disgruntled leader Navjot Singh Sidhu will meet the party's leadership in Delhi on Wednesday. This comes days after Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh held a meeting with a party panel to end the dispute.

Sources said Sidhu is expected to meet top party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Gandhi has ramped up efforts to resolve the issue with several rounds of talks with the state leaders - MPs Gurjit Singh Aujla, Shamsher Singh Dhillon, MLAs Lakhvir Singh and other leaders including Rana Gurjit Singh and Vijendra Singhla.

Sidhu has been continuously criticizing Chief Minister Amrinder Singh saying he was inaccessible and that his government was not taking action on issues facing the state.

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Punjab Congress MLA Rajkumar Verka confirmed Sidhu's visit, saying, "Navjot Singh Sidhu will be in Delhi tomorrow. He will be meeting Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi tomorrow."

Speaking over the crisis within Punjab Congress, Verka said, "Party high command has spoken to each leader individually. We all have shared our grievances and even shared our views on the changes that need to be made within the state unit or in the state government. I believe that in the first week of July, everything will get settled. All the leaders have decided that we will support whatever decision will be taken by the party high command."

Amid this crisis, some speculations were also being raised in connection with former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). However, Verka refused any such development saying that he had personally met Sekhri and all his grievances against Capt Amrinder Singh have been sorted out.

"I went to his home and held a conversation with him. He has even spoken to party high command about his grievances. Now everything is sorted, he is not joining any other party. In fact, he will be meeting CM in Chandigarh the day after tomorrow," Verka informed.