Chandigarh : Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is back on board. Navjot Singh Sidhu has reached to an agreement with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, on Thursday. Sidhu is back on the old track regarding the controversial appointments. They discussed everything in a meeting.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was upset over senior appointments made by the new government and resigned from his post two days ago. On Thursday Sidhu and Channi agreed on constitution of a coordination panel for prior consultation on all major policy matters and decisions of the state government.
MLA Gurdeep, who was part of the meeting said that Sidhu will continue in the post. Two flower bouquets were seen being sent inside Chandigarh’s Punjab Bhawan where the high-stakes parley was being held. The Punjab cabinet will meet on October 4, sources said.
Channi and Sidhu were demanding removal of APS Deol and IPS Sahota from the post of AG and DGP, hashed out the agreement at the meet held to resolve the crisis. The committee is likely to be headed by a central leader – Harish Chaudhary, in all probability — with the chief minister and Punjab Congress president as its members for better coordination between the party and the state government, two persons familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity.
A 10-member panel has been sent to the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) for the appointment of a new director general of police (DGP) – another sticking point. Sources indicated that Channi is ready to drop Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as Punjab police chief. He was also picked for the role just last week.
A senior party leader does not find it advantageous to set up coordination committee at this stage with hardly any time left for elections. “It will not serve any purpose other than putting balm on someone’s ego and making the decision-making process more cumbersome. In January 2020 also, the AICC set up a coordination committee under the then general secretary but it did not conduct even a single meeting,” he added.
Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat is planning to visit Chandigarh to talk to the warring factions. “After the constitution of the new government, I thought my job was done but then this new situation developed. Things will be okay soon. It is just a matter for 5 to 7 days,” he told reporters.
Sahota’s appointment was a problem because he was the head of a Special Investigation Team to probe the 2015 sacrilege case – a highly emotive issue. The probe in the sacrilege incident and subsequent police firing had also been a reason of discord between Amarinder Singh and Sidhu.
Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed as the Punjab Congress Chief after a long squabble with Amarinder Singh. “My fight is issue-based and I have stood by it for a long time. I cannot compromise with my ethics, my moral authority,” Mr Sidhu had said in a video statement, a day after his resignation. “What I witness is a compromise with issues, agenda in Punjab. I cannot misguide the high command nor can I let them be misguided,” he had added.
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