Chandigarh, Dec 09: In the backdrop of her strained ties with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, senior Congress leader from Punjab Rajinder Kaur Bhattal would be meeting the party's Central leaders in New Delhi today and apprise the leadership on recent developments in the state. "We will be discussing with the leaders how to further strengthen party's base ahead of the Lok Sabha polls," Bhattal, former chief minister, told reporters here.

She said several members of Punjab Congress legislature and other senior leaders from the state would be meeting Central party leaders over the next few days. "I don't know what is going to be on the agenda, but surely issues vital to the state's interests will be discussed. We are likely to discuss how we can take maximum seats in the Lok Sabha elections and steps needed to realise this will be taken," she said.

Asked about the dissidents' demand for a change in leadership in the state, she said the high command would be "reviewing" the developments in Punjab after former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had been sent to judicial custody in an alleged disproportionate assets case. Bhattal has made no secret of her ruffled feelings that people from within Congress and Amarinder Singh government were out to implicate her in a case that involves alleged misappropriation of Rs 20 lakh by her during her short stint as Chief Minister during late 1996.

Bureau Report