Lal likely replacement if Sidhu doesn’t relent
Punjab CM asks ‘head of family’ Sidhu to talk, resolve issues
As Congress is looking for a new state president in Punjab in case Navjot Singh Sidhu does not relent, the likely replacement for the post could be six-time MLA Lal Singh, the former Finance Minister of Punjab who held several government and organisational posts earlier, sources said.
He is considered close to former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, while the party is also mulling on other names as well. The Congress is mulling on some names for immediate replacement and one of them is Manish Tewari, the MP from Anandpur Sahib. Names of Ravneet Singh Bittu, Ludhiana MP and from Amarinder Singh’s camp and Pratap Singh Bajwa, who is opposed to Amarinder Singh, are also doing the rounds. Former PCC President Sunil Jakhar who missed the Chief Minister’s post during the recent process of change of guard is also likely to be considered.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday reached out to a miffed Navjot Singh Sidhu and offered to resolve issues through talks, a day after the former cricketer resigned as the state Congress chief.
Efforts are on to placate Sidhu as several party leaders, including ministers Pargat Singh and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, met him at his residence in Patiala.They urged him to work to strengthen the party. Channi also said the party is supreme and the government follows its ideology.
Talking to reporters on sidelines of a Cabinet meeting, Channi said, “The (state) president is a head of the party. The head is to sit in the family (party).”
“I have spoken to Sidhu sahab over the telephone today. The party is supreme and the government accepts the party’s ideology and follows that. (I told him that) You come, sit and talk,” he said.