Punjab crisis: Sidhu to meet Channi for talks today

Chandigarh: Former Punjab Congress Chief (PCC), Navjot Singh Sidhu has said that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Charanjit Singh Channi has invited him for talks.

Sidhu said he will reach Punjab Bhawan and that he is open for any discussion, “Chief Minister has invited me for talks … will reciprocate by reaching Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh at 3:00 PM today, he is welcome for any discussions !”

Sidhu resigned from his post this week along with three ministers. Congress is facing the era of resignations since Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from his post of CM. The feud began when in July, the Congress party appointed Navjot Sidhu as its Punjab Chief even though Captain Amarinder Singh was not happy with the decision. Following this, in August, four ministers and approximately two dozen party legislators raised complaints against Amarinder Singh which pointed out a fact that they did not believe in him anymore.

Sidhu had said that Amarinder Singh was replaced as Chief Minister in a series of events that had his approval. He tweeted his resignation, “The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress,” Navjot Sidhu wrote in his resignation letter.

Punjab Congress has been in turmoil since a few months now, last week Captain resigned from his post as 40 MLAs wrote to Congress President Sonia Gandhi to replace him. He felt the move by the MLAs humiliating and said that he won’t tolerate it anymore.

After captain’s resignation Charanjit Singh Channi was made CM of Punjab. On Tuesday there were media reports about Amarinder Singh likely to meet Bhartiya Janta Party’s (BJP) President JP Nadda and Union Minister Amit Shah. Hours after Captain’s visit to Delhi reports, Navjot Singh Sidhu tweeted his resignation from Punjab Congress Chief.