Punjab Congress chief Jakhar may be replaced amid Amarinder-Sidhu row; 3 names in the mix

As Congress deliberates over its Punjab crisis, sources reported on Saturday, that a revamp of Punjab Congress committee is on cards. Sources state that while incumbent CM Capt Amarinder Singh will remain the party's CM pick for 2022 polls but may replace the party chief Sunil Jhakar with either Partap Bajwa, Navjot Singh Sindhu or Pargat Singh. Sources add that none of them have the support of over 10-15 MLAs. All of the above-mentioned Congress leaders have rebelled against the CM, criticising his policies or decisions.

Punjab Congress revamp on cards

Sources further state that the 3-member panel which was constituted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will submit its report to Gandhi in the next two days. While Amarinder is likely to be retained, the final call will on CM or PCC revamp will be taken by Congress High Command. Sources had stated that Sonia Gandhi has given a clean chit to Amarinder Singh and that Sidhu may be included in the Punjab Cabinet once again and elevated as Deputy Chief Minister.

On Friday, CM Amarinder Singh met with the 3-member panel in Delhi and held a virtual meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. After the meeting, Singh refused to divulge details of the meeting, but said, "We all are getting ready to face state polls". Meanwhile, Sidhu who had earlier met with the same panel said, "I came here to convey the voice of the people from the grassroots in Punjab. My stance has been, is, and will remain that the democratic power which goes to the government and financial power which goes to the government in the form of taxes should go back to the people. Truth can be suppressed but not defeated."

Sidhu's resignation

After a tumultuous spat with CM Captain Amarinder Singh during the Lok Sabha elections, Sidhu ad sent his resignation on June 10 to the former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and tweeted about the same a month later. On June 6, Sidhu was given the power and new and renewable energy portfolio and was divested of the ministry of Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Departments. While he tendered his resignation as Punjab minister, the cricketer-turned-politician later confirmed that he will remain with the Congress.

Sidhu has been at loggerheads with the Punjab Chief Minister after he denied Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. He and his wife have publically 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.