Discord in Punjab Cong

THE Punjab Congress seems to be a house divided with PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi differing even as the state government has been taking decisions to stem anti-incumbency months before the Assembly elections. As the CM slashed power tariff, the state party chief indicated that he was not taken on board while announcing the populist move. The CM and the state party chief have also differed on attempts to replace the advocate general, with Sidhu accusing Channi of being surrounded by the same coterie that used to be around Capt Amarinder Singh. Unless the party resolves its differences, it may well find it difficult to project a chief ministerial face in the 2022 state elections. Sidhu also had reservations when it came to making appointments to the Cabinet and in the distribution of portfolios, as also the appointment of officers to key posts to replace those during the time of Channi’s predecessor.

Sidhu has been the stormy petrel of Punjab politics ever since he was in the BJP, frequently taking on even the Shiromani Akali Dal, its coalition partner at that time. He is credited with playing a major role in getting the high command to replace Capt Amarinder Singh. The Congress high command has attempted to take along both the CM and the PPCC chief, with Channi even accompanying the Gandhi scions to Lakhimpur Kheri to register protest over the tragedy that took place there. The AICC in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat has now been replaced by Harish Chaudhary, seemingly to rein in Sidhu.

The factionalism gets compounded with Amarinder Singh resigning and floating Punjab Lok Congress, hoping to poach disgruntled Congressmen. For the Congress to retain power in the state, both the CM and the PPCC chief will have to overcome their trust deficit and work together, the joint visit to Kedarnath on Tuesday a good indication in this respect. The young Congress leadership will need both sagacity and perseverance to steady the government in the state.