Congress Punjab report bats for Capt Amarinder to remain CM, replacing state party chief

In a bid to end the rebellion within Congress' Punjab unit, the three-member panel formed by Sonia Gandhi to resolve the impending issues has submitted its report to the interim party chief after having deliberated with all factions, including Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu. As per its recommendations, Captain Amarinder Singh will continue to be Congress' Chief Ministerial face in the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections whereas Punjab Congress' incumbent chief Sunil Jakhar is likely to be moved out, sources said. The final decision is expected to be taken tomorrow as interim party chief Sonia Gandhi has called for a meeting with the three-member panel. 

This committee comprising Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, ex-Delhi MP JP Agarwal and AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab Harish Rawat was constituted on May 28. Captain Amarinder Singh has reportedly cemented his CM seat even as sources indicated that Congress Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa is camping in the national capital and has met several party leaders seeking Captain's ouster from the Punjab CMO. Meanwhile, in Punjab, a poster war has broken out between the Captain and Sidhu camps, whereas their families are also now at loggerheads. Captain Amarinder is widely credited for having spearheaded his own win in the 2017 Punjab elections. He was given an assurance about his position by the Gandhi-Vadras as well in the last few days as he travelled to Delhi, while it was suggested that Sidhu may be made Deputy CM.

Harish Rawat to be replaced as Punjab in-charge? 

Significantly, AICC in-charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat would also be replaced after the former Uttarakhand CM sought to be relieved on health grounds and in view of the upcoming Uttarakhand elections as well. Sources have indicated that Harish Rawat, who is a part of the three-member panel formed to resolve internal issues, could be sent back to Uttarakhand. 

Earlier, sources had informed that former Union Minister Manish Tewari and MLA Vijay Inder Singla are the frontrunners to be appointed as the Punjab Congress chief, heading into the 2022 Assembly Elections. A popular leader in Punjab, Vijay Inder Singla holds the Education and PWD Ministry in Amarinder Singh's Cabinet. He is also the secretary and national spokesperson of the Congress party, same as Manish Tewari. On the other hand, Tewari is an MP from Anandpur Sahib and holds the position of national spokesperson in the Congress party with close ties to the Gandhi family. 

Captain vs Sidhu row implodes Punjab Congress

Sidhu has been at loggerheads with the Punjab Chief Minister after the latter denied Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. He and his wife have publicly attacked the Punjab CM repeatedly during the election campaign. He later patched up with CM Amarinder Singh over an informal lunch, but it seems to have gone awry as Sidhu began to attack the CM again after the Punjab & Haryana HC quashed the SIT probe into the 2015 firing cases on April 9. 

He has targeted the CM for not acting against key Shiromani Akali Dal leaders in the same case. The cricketer-turned-politician has alleged that the Punjab government is being run by the Badals from behind the scenes. Sidhu's row with Captain Amarinder also stretches further back than this to the time when Sidhu had gone to Pakistan for Imran Khan's oath-taking as Pakistan's PM and had hugged Pak Army Chief Bajwa. Upon his return, when questioned about what Captain Singh's view is on this, Sidhu had said 'Kaun sa Captain? Rahul Gandhi is my captain'.