'Sidhu's barbs don't augur well': Tension brewing within Punjab Congress again?

Amidst no end in sight to his row with Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday rushed to Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi allegedly to complain about the new Punjab Congress chief's criticism of his government.

Singh reportedly told Gandhi that Sidhu's criticism of his government "does not augur well for smooth functioning", according to a report by NDTV.

This comes days after Gandhi appointed Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief despite the Chief Minister's opposition as part to the party bid to quell dissidence within Congress ahead of Assembly polls.

Gandhi is said to have stressed Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu must work together.

The meeting took place ahead of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle in the state in which Sidhu is keen to accommodate people close to him. Singh is learnt to have also discussed potential candidates to be inducted after the reshuffle and also the political situation playing out in Punjab seven months before the polls.

Hours before Singh's meeting with Gandhi, Sidhu tweeted "The Congress Worker - My Inspiration … The only Instrument of Triumph" sharing a video clip of his meeting with Congress workers in Moga and Faridkot on August 5."

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The Chief Minister is learnt to be unhappy about Sidhu's continued attacks on the government headed by him and hence, the issues of progress made on 18 issues pointed by Mallikarjun Kharge, are also believed to have been discussed.

On Monday, Sidhu posted a series of tweets pointing out that he had held a press conference in 2018 asking the state government to immediately act upon the information shared by STF with the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

"After 2.5 years of delay, how much more the People of Punjab should wait ? What investigation had Punjab Police done ? What action had Punjab government has taken ? Must be brought into public domain. Since submission of reports, what further action did the state take in 2.5 years ? Govt must make itself accountable to the Public with complete transparency !! Punishing culprits behind Drug trade is Congress’s priority under 18-Point Agenda... . If further delayed will bring resolution in Punjab Vidhan Sabha for making the Reports Public," Sidhu tweeted.

The Chief Minister has been maintaining that his government has already implemented several steps from the 18-point agenda given by the Congress high command. Singh also says that his government had fulfilled 93 per cent of the party's promises made in the election manifesto.