CHANDIGARH: Hectic political parleys were held by Rahul Gandhi and the three-member Kharge panel with Punjab Congress leaders on Tuesday and there are indications that changes both in the cabinet and the organisational structure could be in the offing.
Chief minister Amarinder Singh had a three-hour meeting with the AICC-appointed panel on pending poll promises and Rahul discussed the party’s prospects for the next assembly elections with a group of cabinet ministers and MLAs.
After meeting with Rahul, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu said, “The issues will be resolved in about a week and a new team, with some old faces, could be put in place.
Ahead of the next 2022 polls, the discussions are also about the composition of the new cabinet or the PPCC body.
The good thing is Rahul himself is taking interest in ways to revamp the party in Punjab.
The biggest question is how to win the elections.” Amarinder clarifies on poll promises: The chief minister gave a detailed update to the Kharge panel about the sacrilege issue and other key unfulfilled promises, even though he had claimed that the party had fulfilled 85% of the manifesto.
He also informed the panel that the previous SIT had almost completed its investigations but then came the court ruling.
He also informed them about the progress made by the new SIT and that it is likely to complete its probe soon, according to sources.
Kharge committee member JP Aggarwal told TOI that a long discussion with the chief minister focussed on the status of the poll promises so that the party puts its best foot forward for the upcoming assembly elections.
After meeting the panel, Amarinder went to have lunch with Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni along with Salman Khurshid.
He, however, did not have any meeting scheduled with either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul.
Ministers, MLAs express grouses before RahulA section of the ministers and MLAs who met Rahul continued to convey their dissatisfaction with their own government in their interactions with him, said the sources.
Rahul asked the MLAs and ministers about the best leadership scenario for the next assembly elections.
A few of them asked Rahul if the ‘CaptainFor2022’ campaign, for which they were being asked to put up posters, was with his concurrence.
They also cited the ‘U-Turns’ made by the Congress government on various issues, including Amarinder’s tweet from December 21, 2016, saying that it was his last election.
Similarly, the issue of more representation to OBCs in the state Cabinet, and also the influence of bureaucracy was reiterated by a section of the Punjab leaders.
A list of the retired bureaucrats rehabilitated in various positions was also given to Rahul.
It was also pointed out that the MPs were now getting active even as the party MLAs have to brace up for the next assembly elections.
The nine leaders who met Rahul included Cabinet ministers Tript Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi, besides MLAs Sangat Singh Gilzian, Pargat Singh, Randeep Singh Nabha, former MLA Ashwani Sekhri and others.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar will meet with Rahul on Wednesday.
Party has taken note of Sidhu’s statements: BittuAsked about Sidhu, Bittu said the issue had been raised by almost every leader and the party leadership and the panel had taken a serious note of it.
“They are surprised at the statements by Sidhu in the media; everyone is upset.
It has come at a time when the panel is looking into various issues.
No one should have the misconception that he is indispensable for such a large party, especially when one has been indoors for a long time and has lost touch with the realities outside,” he said.
“Do you think it is discipline? The chief minister has been appointed by Soniaji.
When you were yourself a part of the cabinet and claimed that no one listened to you.
He should have talked about his performance as the local bodies minister,” he added.
The sources said that while Sidhu has declined the offer of Deputy CM, Amarinder is against his appointment as the PPCC chief.