Won't say all is well in Punjab Congress: Harish Rawat

The turmoil within the Punjab Congress seemed going out of control with the two warring factions led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu toughening their stands, putting the central leadership in an awkward situation and making it admit that all is not well in the state unit.

"I won't say all is well, but we are heading towards that. There are some issues, but we are towards their resolution. We are a political organisation. Issues come up, but they are resolved," AICC in-charge for Punjab Harish Rawat said on Thursday.

Rawat said he "does not want to hide" that "there are many questions, which are unresolved" but expressed confidence that they will be resolved.

Rawat had a three-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday and asked him to fulfill the 18-point agenda of action and to address the discontentment of party leaders, mostly from Sidhu camp about non fulfillment of poll promises.

Read | Rawat conveys Cong leaders’ 'resentment' to Amarinder

There was a report that the CM insisted on the exit of two ministers from the Sidhu camp, who demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister, but the CM's media advisor tweeted a denial and asked the media not to indulge in unnecessary speculation.

"Incorrect story. Issue of cabinet reshuffle was neither raised nor discussed at the meeting between Captain Amarinder Singh and Harish Rawat. So where’s the question of dropping or retaining any ministers? Any cabinet changes will happen at an appropriate time after due consultation. The only issues discussed at the meeting were the same 5 points raised even earlier by Punjab Congress. The Chief Minister has apprised the Congress' Punjab in-charge Rawat of steps taken by his govt wrt the same," the CM's media advisor said.

Meanwhile Sidhu came to Delhi on Wednesday but so far, Gandhis have yet to give him an audience.

Asked why Sidhu went to Delhi after talking to him or whether this means his issues were not resolved, Rawat only said, "He had met me. After that he had some work in Delhi. So he has gone to Delhi. It's not like that he will accompany me wherever I go," Rawat said Thursday. Sidhu has also skipped the Coordination committee chaired by Captain Amarinder Singh.

Read | Will sweep gurdwara floor: Rawat on 'Panj Pyare' remark

There was speculation earlier when the Chief Minister on August 31 appeared took a different stand from Rahul Gandhi on the issue of revamped Jallianwala Bagh Memorial saying "I don’t know what was removed but to me, it looks nice," even as Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on the government on the issue.

In Wednesday's meeting with the CM, Rawat told Singh that it was his duty to address the resentment of his party leaders in the state unit and implement the 18-point programme given by the party high command.

Rawat's back-to-back meetings happened after a group of leaders close to Sidhu demanded resignation of the Chief Minister and later also met Rawat in Dehradun.

While the party high command made Sidhu Punjab PCC chief in July ignoring the objections of the Chief Minister, it has not taken kindly to the acts of open rebellion by Sidhu camp against Captain as the leadership is of the firm view a divided approach will massively damage the party in the state polls.

The issue of internal divide in Punjab Congress also figured in a big way at a gathering of senior leaders, mostly from the dissenting group G-23 at the residence of Kapil Sibal on Janmashtami, where the majority view was against Sidhu's "tantrums".