Sidhu meets Mann, lauds him for being ‘down to earth, receptive’
CHANDIGARH : Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday met chief minister Bhagwant Mann to share his recipe for revival of Punjab, income generation and curbing mafias and lauded him for being “down to earth” and “receptive” to his suggestions even though the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) played down the meeting.
Sidhu met Mann in the chief minister’s office at Punjab civil secretariat here to discuss a host of issues, including sand mining, liquor and state’s development. The former minister, who has been taking digs at Mann and even called him a “rubber doll” just a fortnight ago, came out of their 50-minute meeting singing his praises.
“I did not feel like I met the chief minister. Mann is the same as he was 15 years ago. He is egoless,” the Congress leader said told journalists.
Calling their meeting the “most constructive 50 minutes spent,” Sidhu later also tweeted: “Reiterated the pro-Punjab agenda that I have stood for years…Talked about means to generate income, it’s the only solution to end Punjab’s problem…CM @BhagwantMann was very receptive… Assured that he will deliver on people’s aspirations…”
The meeting between Mann and Sidhu, whose alleged “antiparty activities” are being looked into by the Congress disciplinary action committee, has triggered talk that he may be exploring political options and his effusive praise for the AAP chief minister is likely to fuel it further.
An aide of Sidhu said that Mann met him with lot of warmth and showed more respect than the chief ministers during the previous Congress government. He also dismissed political talk surrounding the meeting as “baseless speculation”, saying there was no discussion on politics. However, there was no word from the chief minister’s office or the AAP on their discussions and only a few photos of the meeting were released.
“The former minister was seeking time from the chief minister for the past one month and he acceded to the request to hear his suggestions,” a party spokesperson said.
Before the meeting, transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, while taking jibes at the Congress and Sidhu, said that during the previous government, the chief minister did not have time for ministers, MLAs and others. “Our CM is large-hearted and he agreed to meet Sidhu who is not a minister, MLA or MP. He is an ordinary person who lost and was rejected by people,” he said, reacting to statements from the Sidhu camp.
Former MLA Ashwani Sekhri, who is close to the former minister, had earlier told reporters that Sidhu had submitted a memorandum on issues related to Punjab to governor who wrote to the chief minister to lend an ear to him.
Earlier, Sidhu, who has been harping on his “Punjab model” for the state’ resurrection, also told reporters that he gave suggestions to Mann regarding putting an end to contractor system in liquor trade, plugging leakage of excise revenue, curbing sand mafia, cancelling the faulty power purchase agreements and breaking the monopoly over cable network.
“If he does this, I will laud him, otherwise my fight against the system will continue,” he added.
Reiterated the pro-Punjab agenda that I have stood for years…Talked about means to generate income, it’s the only solution to end Punjab’s problem… NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, Punjab Congress leader