Amarinder Singh Vs Navjot Sidhu: Punjab CM to meet Congress panel amid factionalism rumours

New Delhi: Amid rumours of factionalism and growing internal feud within the Punjab Congress, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will meet the party`s three-member panel in Delhi on Friday.

In view of the issue, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has formed a three-member panel that includes Mallikarjun Kharge, Harish Rawat and JP Aggarwal. 

The meeting is likely to take place at 11 AM at Congress Headquarters. The agenda of the meeting is to resolve the widening differences between its leaders - Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, said Congress sources. 

Sidhu has already appeared before the panel on Tuesday and maintained his sharp stance and said that he has conveyed the truth of Punjab to the high command in a "loud voice".

Speaking to the media personnel Sidhu had said, "I have come at the call of the high command. Whatever he asked in the interest of the party made him aware. I have conveyed the voice of the people of Punjab which are coming tearing the ground. I have come to bring out the voice of grassroots in Punjab. My stand was, is and will be the same. The democratic power of the people of Punjab, the power of tax should go back to those people. I have come by publishing the truth. Truth is tortured, not defeated."

Apart from Sidhu, on Tuesday, one of the big names was MLA Pargat Singh who spoke in front of the panel. Pargat had said, "Many MLAs have complained about the Captain in front of the panel."

Sidhu is the biggest name among the leaders who raised their voice against the chief minister, so from a distance, this dispute appears to be Captain against Sidhu, but in reality, it is the election promises of Amarinder Singh versus Congress which were not fulfilled.

The biggest issue among them is the issue of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. Congress leaders feel that if concrete action is not taken in this matter, then Congress will suffer a huge loss in the elections.

Punjab Chief Minister also has the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Captain`s opponents accuse him of being close to Sukhbir Singh Badal and not taking any action against him for that reason.

Now, eight months before the election, the demand to replace Captain is gaining momentum. The Congress leadership has formed a committee to stop the rebellion, but the challenge before the committee is very complex. The most complicated thing is that this dispute is not limited only to the tussle between Captain and Sidhu.

In two days, a panel set up by Sonia Gandhi has met more than 50 Punjab MLAs in Delhi. Some have spoken of unity and discipline in the party, while some leaders have demanded the change.

Meanwhile, in a major development on Thursday, Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh before leaving for Delhi welcomed Aam Admi Party MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh Dhaula into Congress.