Gandhis look for a way out in Punjab

The AICC and the Gandhis were battling, what some termed as, a self-created political crisis in poll-bound Punjab after chief minister Amarinder Singh made it clear that foisting Navjot Singh Sidhu as PCC chief would be without his endorsement which could have serious repercussions.Punjab Congress sources said the CM also wrote to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday evening, formally recording his objections to Sidhu’s elevation and asserting that the ex-cricketer lacked political stature and seniority in Punjab Congress and thus had no acceptability and compatibility to head the PCC during elections. Suddenly, the Congress circles flooded social media with old video clippings of Sidhu’s speeches, criticising Congress, Jawaharlal Nehru, Manmohan Singh, the Gandhis and praising Narendra Modi and the former BJP-Akali front.The Gandhis have rushed AICC general secretary in-charge Harish Rawat to meet the CM on Saturday. While the Sidhu camp had made preparations for celebrations of his anticipated elevations, the Gandhi and AICC spent the day exploring an elusive peace-formula after indications that the CM, Punjab Congress’ most credible face, may pull out of the electoral fray if Sidhu was made the PCC chief, something the Congress leadership was keen to avert.The Sidhu camp, which had been projecting Rahul and Priyanka as his awed admirers, on Thursday advertised his ‘imminent appointment’ as PCC chief. Sidhu calling a meeting of some Congress leaders proved to be the last straw for Singh, who conveyed to Sonia through his old friend Kamal Nath that the CM won’t take Sidhu’s elevation lying down. The flashpoint prompted the Gandhis to summon Sidhu, who, for a change, did not speak to journalists before or after the meeting at 10 Janpath.The Gandhis are learnt to be trying to promise Singh, in return for agreeing to Sidhu’s elevation the CM’s unambiguous supremacy in poll-bound Punjab Congress, in organisational and candidates selection and campaign matters, besides saddling the PCC chief with two working presidents of the CM’s choice. Singh has been suggesting that a non-Jat Sikh, the community to which he and Sidhu belong, be made PCC chief to balance the state’s social combination.“Demographics of Punjab: 1. Sikhs: 57.75% 2. Hindus: 38.49% 3. Dalits: 31:94% (Sikhs and Hindus) Punjab is both progressive and secular. But balancing social interest groups is key to equality,” Lok Sabha MP Tewari tweeted.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/3z8IA9u