CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, locked in a bitter tussle with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, met party president Rahul Gandhi and appraised him about the situation in the state days after his ministerial portfolio was changed.
Sidhu met the Congress president at his residence in the presence of senior leader Ahmed Patel and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. “Met the Congress President, handed him my letter, appraised him of the situation,” Sidhu tweeted after the meeting. He refused to divulge the details of the meeting.
However, party sources said Sidhu expressed his unhappiness over the treatment meted out to him by the Punjab CM, who had blamed cricketer-turned-politician for the party’s poor performance in urban areas. He was also divested of the Local Bodies portfolio and instead given a less important power ministry.
Rahul has not been meeting any visitors since he offered to resign on May 25 at the Congress Working Committee meeting following the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.
He had earlier refused to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot.
On Monday, however, Rahul also met JD(S) leader and former PM HD Dewe Gowda, sources said.The rift between Amarinder and Sidhu has been going on for some time. Sidhu’s wife had accused the Punjab CM of blocking her Lok Sabha ticket from Chandigarh.
Priyanka to visit UP
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in the state on a two-day visit starting June 11. She is expected to meet district heads and workers from 40 constituencies of east UP.
She is also likely to assess reasons for Rahul Gandhi’s defeat from Amethi. This will be her first visit to the state after poll results.