Navjot Singh Sidhu firm on stand, parleys on

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 18

Days after a meeting of Navjot Singh Sidhu with party leader Rahul Gandhi, the political activity in the Punjab Congress has been shifted back to Chandigarh. All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer Harish Chaudhary and joint secretary Krishna Allavru engaged in parleys with Pradesh Congress Committee president for the second consecutive day on Monday.

Last night, Sidhu had a meeting with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in the presence of Chaudhary and minister Pargat Singh for over five hours.

Sources said the AICC leaders were giving a prolonged audience to Sidhu over the contentious issues of probe into sacrilege and drug trafficking cases raised by him.

To know the legal status of the sacrilege cases and SIT report in the drug trafficking cases involving big fishes, Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari and officials of the legal team were also called in on the sidelines of the meeting. Sidhu was said to be sticking to the 13-point agenda, raised by him in a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi.

A day after meeting with Sidhu, who had made public his letter to Sonia Gandhi flagging several issues, Channi told mediapersons that the matters would be resolved and the party’s agenda implemented.

Channi said, “Be it 13-point, 18-point, 21-point or 24-point, whatever the agenda is, it will be implemented. No point will be left out. It’s alright that he (Sidhu) raised the issues... we have to implement the party’s ideology. The party is supreme. All issues will be resolved”. Sidhu’s letter had indicated that he was still not satisfied with Channi-led government over its handling of key issues.

Sidhu harming Cong’s poll prospects: Sukhbir

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal lashed out at state PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal after his first roadshow in Abohar on Monday. On the letter written by Sidhu to Sonia Gandhi, Sukhbir said, “I rightly predicted that overambitious Sidhu is like a misguided missile which has no idea which target is to be hit. The Congress itself is suffering due to Sidhu and he will prove fatal for his party.” oc