Will Kharge committee be able to resolve Punjab Cong feud?

By Saiyed Moziz Imam Zaidi

New Delhi, May 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Congress has constituted a committee to resolve issues in Punjab Congress but the real question is -- will it be able to prevail upon strong chief minister like captain Amarinder Singh, as the committee formed for Rajasthan could not come up with any amicable solution?

The Congress has constituted a three-member committee comprising Malliakarjun Kharge, Harish Rawat and J.P. Agarwal -- to resolve the issues between Navjot Singh Sidhu and the Chief Minister. Rawat is also Punjab Incharge of the Congress.

Sidhu has been attacking the Chief Minister, saying that he is waiting as the high command has intervened. Sidhu dared the chief minister to prove his allegations.

But seeing the fate of the committee in Rajasthan the disgruntled group says that this is to buy time as nothing much is expected and the AICC will not take risk of replacing the Chief Minister as there is nobody of his stature to face the Akali Dal specially the Badal family, the Congress will have to devise a middle path as 20 MLAs are reported to be unhappy with the Chief Minister's style of functioning.

Sidhu while attacking the Chief Minister over comments of his joining another party said, "Prove one meeting that I have had with another party's leader, I have never asked anyone for any post till date. All I seek is Punjab's prosperity and was invited and offered Cabinet berths many times but I did not accept."

"Now, our Esteemed High Command has intervened, Will wait," he said.

While after talks failed with chief minister on induction in the cabinet, sources say Sidhu wanted his choice of portfolio, but has now set his eyes on the state President post which is held by Sunil Jakhar.

While Harish Rawat has categorically said that the change of leadership is not required but he insisted that there is communication gap between the two leaders which will be resolved soon. The panel constituted by Sonia Gandhi has met and deliberated on the issues regarding the infighting. Rawat said, "Our aim is to strengthen the party and the government and to help unite the Congress in Punjab and ensure its victory in the 2022 assembly polls." The assembly polls are slated in 2022 in Punjab.

It was understood that that interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have taken feedback on the situation. Rahul Gandhi was expected to meet all the legislators and MPs from Punjab to end the impasse ahead of the Assembly polls. But now the work has been assigned to a committee.

In a bitter war of words last week, Sidhu had advised the Chief Minister to stop firing from his "colleagues' shoulders".

A defiant Sidhu had reminded Amarinder Singh that "his soul demands justice for Guru Sahib".

His reaction came after seven ministers had demanded the suspension of Sidhu from the party for indiscipline and launching verbal attacks on Amarinder Singh.

The ministers urged the party high command to take action against Sidhu for his open rebellion against the state party leadership.

Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday hoisted the black flag at his ancestral residence in Patiala town. Appealing to every Punjabi to support the farmers, Sidhu, accompanied by his wife Navjot Kaur, in a video posted on his Twitter handle, said: "From the past three decades, Indian farmers are worried due to rising debts and dropping income.

Source: IANS