Harish Rawat reaches Chandigarh to meet Amarinder; Sidhu calls on Jakhar

While Rawat will be holding a meeting with the CM, Sidhu called on incumbent PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar at his Panchkula residence on Saturday

Amid speculation and a row over appointment of the next Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat reached Chandigarh Saturday to meet chief minister Amarinder Singh to get him on board an announcement pending to elevate former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu as the state party chief.

While Rawat will be holding a meeting with the CM, Sidhu called on incumbent PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar at his Panchkula residence on Saturday. The duo held a meeting which is seen as Sidhu’s effort to take everybody along in the party after being appointed as the PPCC chief.

Rawat flew to Chandigarh in Punjab government’s chopper, sent by the CM to fetch him. The party has sent him as an emissary to placate Amarinder, who has expressed his reservations against elevation of Sidhu saying senior party leadership will not take his appointment kindly.

Amarinder had Friday written to AICC interim president Sonia Gandhi just before Sidhu was scheduled to meet her. His letter delayed the announcement about Sidhu’s elevation. Otherwise, the party had prepared to announce him as PPCC chief Friday.

The outcome of the Rawat and Amarinder meeting is yet to be seen.

Sidhu’s team is preparing for a massive show of strength after an announcement of his elevation. He is likely to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar. Following which, he is expected to take out a rally from Amritsar and pass through Hussainwala and Khatkar Kalan, two historical places associated with martyr Bhagat Singh. He is also planning to halt at Bargari, the epicentre of sacrilege politics in Punjab.

Several young MLAs are already Gearing up to organise the show.

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