Punjab: Congress attempts damage control over Sidhu camp's remarks; asks for patience

The internal unrest in Punjab Congress intensifies by the day making it difficult for Punjab Congress in charge Harish Rawat to bring the situation under control. With CM Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu at loggerheads ahead of the Assembly Elections, their respective factions have been indulging in a fierce face-off.

Escalating the matter further, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Pargat Singh lashed out at Harish Rawat for declaring that CM Amarinder Singh will lead the party in the next assembly elections. Harish Rawat seemed to be in a damage control mode as he urged the Sidhu camp rebel to be patient despite being targeted for favouring CM Amarinder Singh. However, he also added that he knows when to speak up and what to say.

Speaking to ANI, Rawat said, "The same allegations were made earlier when I praised Navjot Singh Sidhu. We have many faces at the national level like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. At the local level also, we have several faces like Captain Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu and even Pargat Singh. One should not be impatient. 2022 elections are nearby and everyone is watching us. So, I believe these conflicts should have first been discussed with the right medium inside the party. I know when I need to speak and what to say."

Pargat Singh questions Harish Rawat

Rawat's statements were in response to Pargat Singh's remarks on Sunday as he questioned who gave Harish Rawat the right to decide the leader for the Punjab Assembly elections. Pargat Singh said it was decided earlier that the Punjab election will be fought under the leadership of the Congress High Command, while he also questioned Harish Rawat to reveal when was the decision taken to contest assembly polls under Captain Amarinder Singh's leadership.

"When all the MLAs had met the three-member Kharge Committee constituted by the party high command in Delhi three months ago, it was decided that the Punjab Assembly elections to be held in 2022 would be fought under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Now, if Harish Rawat is saying that the 2022 Punjab elections will be fought under the leadership of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, then he should also inform when this decision was taken," Pargat Singh said.

"Congress state in-charge Harish Rawat is my good friend but who gave him the right to take such a big decision about Punjab at his level? What is the meaning of Captain's leadership now after the Kharge committee's decision to contest elections under Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi?" added the Congress MLA.

Congress leadership facing difficulty to manage Punjab situation?

Harish Rawat met former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday and briefed him about the situation of infighting within the Punjab Congress. Rawat is also said to visit Punjab soon to meet Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Sidhu to discuss the deepening crisis. According to reports, Rawat has urged the Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi to relieve him from the post of Punjab Congress in charge. He wants to be relieved from the post so that he can focus on assembly polls in Uttarakhand due next year. Even as the assembly elections are slated early next year, the internal crisis in Punjab Congress continues even after the appointment of Navjot Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief by the party's central leadership to end factionalism in the state unit.