Punjab rift: Rawat meets Rahul, to visit Chandigarh soon
Rahul Gandhi and Harish Rawat (Photo/IANS)
New Delhi: Amid rift in the Punjab Congress, General Secretary in-charge of the state, Harish Rawat met Rahul Gandhi on Saturday and briefed him about the situation there which has arisen after the statement of Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Sidhu speaking at a party function in Amritsar on Friday, said, "If he is allowed to work according to his own policy of hope and faith, he will ensure the Congress rule in the state for 20 years".
"But if you don't allow me to make decisions, then I can't help anything," Sidhu said without mincing words.
Speaking about the Punjab model, Sidhu said, "Punjab model means people make policies for trade, industry and power. Giving power back to the people."
Rawat is scheduled to visit Punjab in a day or two and will talk to chief minister Amarinder Singh and state president Navjot Singh Sidhu and sort out the issues arising out of the differences between the two leaders.
Rawat after the meeting has said, "I have briefed him (Rahul Gandhi) about the situation in Punjab and I will visit the state in a day or two."
Harish Rawat had on Friday met interim President Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the situation in the state.
"Punjab situation is under control... I have apprised her about the situation in the state," he told reporters after the meeting.
The meeting comes in the wake of some "rebel" MLAs seeking time from Sonia Gandhi to press for the removal of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, even as state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu continued his attacks against the Chief Minister.
Rawat has been facing tough task to balance both sides in Punjab as Sidhu and Amarinder Singh are at loggerheads.
Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh's confidante and Cabinet minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi hosted a dinner at his residence on Thursday.
A total of 58 MLAs and eight MPs attended the dinner and expressed confidence that the party would win the 2022 polls under the leadership of Amarinder Singh.
"The journey has started today," Sodhi informed in a tweet.