The Congress appears to be on the verge of resolving the infighting in its Punjab unit amidst strong indications that while Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh could lead the party into the Assembly elections, his bete noire Navjot Singh Sidhu could be made state party president.
Sidhu is learnt to be reaching out to other party leaders in the state, seeking their support, even as AICC General Secretary in charge of Punjab Harish Rawat dropped strong hints that the cricketer-turned-politician could be made the PCC president, a post he has coveted.
Rawat said in Delhi that Amarinder would lead the party into the Assembly elections due early next year, and that he and Sidhu will work together as a team.
Asked about whether Sidhu would be appointed the state Congress President, he did not offer a direct reply, but indicated that would be the case. “Something on those lines has been worked out. Working presidents would also be appointed,” he said.
It is learnt that the party high command has conveyed to Sidhu to restrain himself in his utterances, emphasising on the fact that he is the leader of the future and should bear that in mind.
Sidhu, who had been in hibernation for several months after he was downsized in the state cabinet, had in the backdrop of the High Court judgment in the sacrilege issue, launched a strong campaign against Amarinder, holding him responsible for the setback in court and accusing him of colluding with the Badals and allowing them to go scot-free in the case.
It was viewed as his way of making the most of the opportunity, given the emotional value of the issue for Punjabis, and pitch himself as the person who raised his voice against the perceived injustice. Also, the issues raised by him found resonance with other leaders in the party.
The party high command had set up a three-member panel to talk to the leaders from the state and suggest a way out of the imbroglio. The panel, headed by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and comprising Rawat and senior leader J P Aggarwal had met around 200 leaders from the state, including Amarinder and Sidhu.
Sidhu had met former party president Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the meeting conveying the impression that the Gandhis sympathised with his cause.
Later on, Amarinder flew down to Delhi to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, declaring after the meeting that he would abide by whatever is the decision of the party chief.
