Manmohan, Rahul visit indisposed Punjab CM Amarinder

Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 10

Amid the ongoing war of words between Capt Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday called on the Punjab Chief Minister at his official residence to enquire about his health.

Capt Amarinder, who could not attend today's event of launch of special edition of 'Navjivan' Hindi weekly paper due to ill health, had been yesterday advised rest for 48 hours after he underwent some routine medical tests at PGIMER as a follow-up on the viral illness he suffered last week.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who also skipped today's event as he had been advised by the doctor not to speak, was away to Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, for his medical follow-up.

Barring senior Congress leader Moti Lal Vora, who mentioned about Capt Amarinder's ill health, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh failed to mention his name, triggering speculations among Punjab Congress leaders.

Senior Punjab Congress leaders saved the party's top brass from embarrassment by advising them to visit the Chief Minister. Not in the original itinerary, the Congress president along with Punjab Affairs in-charge Asha Kumari, Harish Chaudhary, PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar, PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla called on the Chief Minister to enquire about his health after the Mohali event.

Though no discussion took place between Rahul Gandhi and Capt Amarinder on the face-off between him and Sidhu, the Congress president is learnt to have mentioned to a senior leader about the ongoing war of words between the two.