Sidhu tweets 'will march to Lakhimpur Kheri'; Rawat says 'this is the Congress we need'

With the party affairs in Punjab yet to return to full normalcy, a tweet from rebelling Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday threatening to march to Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri attracted a comment from Congress in-charge Harish Rawat, who said this is the Congress "we need".

As Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi was placed under arrest, Sidhu tweeted, "If, by tomorrow (Wednesday), the Union Minister’s son behind the brutal murder of farmers is not arrested, and our leader Priyanka Gandhi being unlawfully arrested, fighting for farmers is not released, the Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri!"

If, by tomorrow, the Union Minister’s son behind the brutal murder of Farmers is not arrested, and our leader @PriyankaGandhi being unlawfully arrested, fighting for farmers is not released, the Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri ! @INCIndia @INCPunjab

— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) October 5, 2021

To this, Rawat responded, "Navjot ji this is a great decision. Congratulations, this is the Congress we need. I shall too join you in your mass movement to Lakhimpur kheeri and Sitapur. Kisan Unity Zindabad." He also tagged Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sidhu and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

Read | Lakhimpur: Cops evasive on arrest of Ajay Mishra's son

Sidhu's comments came on a day some TV channels once again reported that the Congress central leaders were mulling replacing Sidhu with Punjab Congress Working President Kuljit Singh Nagra or Lok Sabha MP Ravneet Bittu, if the cricketer-turned-politician did not fall in line.

Sidhu had put in his papers last Tuesday unhappy over certain administrative appointments and choice of ministers by Channi. His resignation was not accepted while last Thursday, Channi held talks with Sidhu during which issues were "resolved" with the setting up of a coordination panel.

There was, however, no official word on the 'compromise' even as Sidhu once again reiterated his demand for the removal of the DGP in-charge and Advocate General. Channi said on Sunday that the names of 10 police officers have already been sent to the UPSC while asserting that a "good" officer will be appointed as the DGP after consulting Sidhu, ministers and MLAs once the state government receives three shortlisted names from the Centre.

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