CM appears before Cong panel, defends his style of functioning

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh met the Mallikarjun Kharge-led three-member committee looking into infighting in the party’s state unit on Friday, and defended his performance and style of functioning, according to people familiar with the matter.

The chief minister had a nearly three-hour meeting with the panel on the last day of the exercise in Delhi that saw about 150 party leaders, including present and former state unit presidents, ministers, MPs and other leaders voice their suggestions and grievances. Singh shared his government’s achievements, progress on the implementation of 85% of poll commitments, his road map for unfulfilled promises and report card of his ministers.

The committee, which has All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat and former Delhi MP Jai Prakash Agarwal as its other members, asked the chief minister about unfulfilled poll promises, his lack of accessibility and “over dependence” on the bureaucracy, and he responded to each point raised by party leaders. He carried dossiers on land deals and interests in mining and liquor businesses of some party MLAs and other leaders, according to the people cited above.

The chief minister, who was to meet the panel at 11am, reached 15, Gurdwara Rakabganj Road, on time and before Rawat and Agarwal arrived.

After the meeting, he said the meeting was routine introspection before the elections that are six months away.

“These are inner-party discussions and I do not propose to share them with you,” he told reporters.

However, Rawat, who was more forthcoming, said the chief minister was asked about the challenges and problems faced by party leaders and his (CM’s) road map to deal with them before the polls. He said the committee also took up the sacrilege issue that was raised by several party leaders.

“We can understand the sensitivity of their sentiments, and the CM understands it better than us. He spoke about the administrative and legal steps being taken. I am hopeful that in the next few days, results will be seen,” he said.

Rawat was clear that there was no talk of an alternative, adding that only the Congress president was authorised to speak on this.

Though he refused to comment, there are indications that the party may appoint more than one deputy chief minister, bringing former minister Navjot Sidhu back into the state cabinet and appointing a new state unit chief as part of the peace formula.

Singh was open to inducting Sidhu, who quit the state cabinet in 2019 as minister, but has opposed appointing him as the state unit president, a post that the cricketer-turned-politician wants because it will put him in charge of the party in the state.

“It was suggested to Capt saab a few months ago to appoint Sidhu and a Dalit leader as deputy CMs. At one stage, he agreed but then changed his mind and nothing happened,” a senior state unit leader said.

Amarinder Singh