Punjab crisis: Set deadline for poll promises, Capt Amarinder told; Rahul Gandhi meets Sunil Jakhar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 23

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will decide on the Punjab Government and party revitalisation by July 8 to 10, AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Harish Rawat said on Wednesday after meeting Rahul Gandhi here.

Rawat said the AICC panel had submitted its report to the Congress chief on the structural, organisational and political issues related to Punjab. “Her decision on the matter will come by July 8 to 10,” he noted.

The panel had also urged Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for time-bound implementation of 18 major party’s poll promises, including action on Bargari sacrilege, drug issues, sand mining and transport mafia, Rawat said.

Misled by advisers

Some so-called advisers have landed the CM’s office in a spot (over jobs for MLAs’ sons). What’s wrong cannot be called right. — Sunil Jakhar, Punjab Congress chief

Rawat also said the party would call former minister Navjot Sidhu for discussions soon. Asked who the party’s face for 2022 state elections would be, Rawat said, “We will discuss that matter when the time comes.”

The AICC has also instructed the CM to ensure 200 units of power free per urban household and act on SC scholarships, loan waivers for the poor and Dalits and regularisation of their land, Rawat said.

Meanwhile, Rahul today met state unit chief Sunil Jakhar, Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and MPs Manish Tewari and Partap Bajwa and sought their assessment of Congress prospects and the steps needed to be taken to ensure a victory in 2022.

After the meeting, Jakhar said he was confident of the stalemate getting resolved. Tewari spoke of his “expansive discussions on the state with Rahul”.

Bajwa said he discussed with Rahul his assessment of where the Congress stood and people’s expectations. Jakhar, when asked if his replacement was being mulled, quipped, “The party need not consult me to replace me.” The state chief, however, said change must not be for the sake of change alone.

SIT summons Sukhbir in Kotkapura case

Chandigarh: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Kotkapura police firing incident has summoned SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on June 26. Sukhbir held the Home portfolio when the police firing took place on October 14, 2015. The probe panel has already questioned the then DGP, Sumedh Saini. TNS