Congress summons Sidhu to Delhi to discuss 'certain' organisational matters

The Congress leadership has summoned Navjot Singh Sidhu to Delhi on Thursday for a meeting with Congress General Secretaries Harish Rawat and K C Venugopal to discuss "certain organisation matters" in Punjab, as the cricketer-turned-politician's actions continue to put the party in bad light.

The move is seen as the central leadership putting Sidhu, who resigned as Punjab Congress chief on September 28 over disagreement over Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's decisions, on notice to mend ways or indicating that he be prepared to be "relieved" from party post.

The details of the meeting were made public by Rawat, the Congress in-charge of Punjab, in an unusual manner through a tweet on Tuesday evening. Sidhu's resignation has not been accepted till now.

"Navjot Singh Sidhu, President Punjab Congress will be meeting me (Rawat) and (General Secretary Organisation) Venugopal-ji for discussion on certain organisational matters pertaining to Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee at Venugopal-ji's office on 14th October at 6 PM," the tweet said.

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The meeting also comes two days ahead of a crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee where issues related to organisational troubles in several states, including in Punjab, are likely to be hotly debated.

The G-23 leaders or the change seekers led by Ghulam Nabi Azad and others have already voiced concerns over the way Amarinder Singh was removed with Kapil Sibal saying nobody knows who takes decisions in the party when it does not have an elected president.

Sources said the leadership would prefer to have clarity on the Punjab issue before the CWC meeting and it would not mind reading the riot act if Sidhu does not act according to the larger interests of the party.

Sidhu had tweeted his resignation letter but had not handed it over to the AICC. A message was conveyed to Sidhu to take the resignation letter back within a stipulated time but he has not done so publicly.

Also Read | Congress frustrated by Sidhu's 'resignation' antics: Report

The mood in the central leadership is that if Sidhu does not budge, they will have no option but to let him go. The leadership has already started the process of finding a successor for Sidhu in an eventuality and it is speculated that Punjab Congress Working President Kuljit Nagra and Lok Sabha MP Ravneet Bittu are the frontrunners for the post.

The leadership is upset with Sidhu, as he has put Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi under spotlight for the mess in Punjab as they supported him in the fight against Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu's resignation and publicising of it through a tweet had not gone well with the leadership. They also feel that his remarks and actions are putting the Channi government in a bad light, especially when Assembly elections are just months away.

Channi had held talks with Sidhu soon after his resignation and reached some compromise but there was no let-up in the tension.

Sidhu has been sulking since Channi and the leadership chose some leaders whom Sidhu did not prefer as Ministers as well as appointments of Director General of Police and Advocate General. He was also said to be upset that the choice of Channi has virtually dashed his hopes to be the next Chief Minister as the party may not be inclined to remove a Dalit from the seat.

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