Chandigarh : Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress state president Navjot Singh Sidhu are in a rift again. High voltage was witnessed at a meeting in the Punjab Congress camp after sources revealed that CM Charanjit Singh Channi has challenged Navjot Singh Sidhu to become the Chief Minister and show his performance in the next two months. According to sources, he has threatened to leave the post amid Sidhu’s repeated jibes and asked the cricketer-turned-politician to take over.
“He said that I want to leave the chief minister’s post. Navjot Sidhu should become CM and show it by performing in 2 months,” sources told
The Congress has been in firefighting mode ever since Sidhu was appointed the PPCC chief, much to ex-CM Captain Amarinder Singh’s dismay. After Captain Amarinder Singh’s resignation paved the way for Charanjit Channi, the first Dalit Sikh CM of Punjab, a similar sight was witnessed as Sidhu attempted to dictate terms, including key appointments in the Punjab administration.
Channi reportedly made the comments after Sidhu asked him as to why the 13-point agenda set by Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not being fulfilled.
Even after Amarinder Singh’s exit, Congress’ Punjab woes are far from over as the grand old party is working on the middle path that both Channi and Sidhu work in tandem ahead of the Punjab Assembly Elections 2022.
Notably, a few days back, Punjab state president Sidhu on Sunday made public a letter he has written to party chief Sonia Gandhi, saying this is Punjab’s last chance for resurrection and redemption.
“Request you to kindly give me a personal audience to present to you the Punjab Model with a 13-Point Agenda to be part of the Congress Manifesto for the 2022 Assembly elections, which is separate from this by means of its long-term vision to be implemented over a longer period of time, have crafted it through years of consultations with academics, civil society, party workers and feedback from the People of Punjab,” Sidhu wrote in his letter.
Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress state president, took back his decision after meeting party leader Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Sidhu resigned as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president in September. His resignation was not accepted by the party’s top leadership.
Amidst infighting with Sidhu, Amarinder Singh had stepped down as chief minister of Punjab on September 18 after accusing the Congress high command of humiliating him.
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