By Express News Service
NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: After a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday amid bitter infighting in the state unit, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he would accept whatever decision is taken by the Congress high command on changes in the party and the government. He refused to comment on Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Coming out after the meeting, which lasted for one-and-a-half hours, the Punjab CM said discussions took place on the party’s internal matters as well as the state’s development. Whatever decision is taken by Sonia Gandhi “will be acceptable to us and we will implement and follow her decision”, he said, adding that “Punjab is totally geared up for elections”.
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, who is heading the three-member party panel set up to resolve the infighting in Punjab Congress, were also reported to be present at the meeting. Sources said just before Amarinder’s meeting with Sonia, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also met the Congress president.
During the meeting, Sonia was briefed about the progress on the 18-point agenda given to the CM by the Kharge-led panel to resolve the feud. “I told the party president that whatever she wants on the development front was being implemented,” the CM said. She told Amarinder that everyone should work together to serve the people and that infighting was denting the party’s image.
When asked about role of his former cabinet minister and bitter critic Sidhu, Amarinder said, “I do not know anything about Sidhu. Whatever discussions happened with the Congress president is confidential and we can’t talk it in public.”
The chief minister has made it clear that appointing Sidhu as deputy CM or Punjab Congress chief would not be acceptable to him. However, there is speculation that Sidhu may get a important role in the planned revamp.
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