In a damage-control exercise, the Congress high command on Saturday activated backdoor channels to pacify the Charanjit Singh Channi-led group, which held a show of strength at the former chief minister’s Morinda residence a day earlier. Channi reached Delhi early Saturday morning to take up the grievances of state leaders, who had authorised him to meet the party’s top brass. It could not be ascertained what transpired during the meetings.
Leadership Absent, Backchannel Talks Underway
With Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi out of the country and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not in Delhi, sources did not rule out Channi meeting Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Any meaningful discussions are likely to take place only after Rahul Gandhi returns from abroad. To assess the situation, the party’s Punjab affairs in-charge, Bhupesh Baghel, is expected to reach Chandigarh in a day or two. Baghel also called up some leaders who attended Friday’s meeting at Channi’s residence.
Warring’s Conciliatory Tone
Striking a conciliatory note a day after Channi’s show of strength, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said, “Channi Sahib is our elder brother, a senior leader and a former Chief Minister. If some Congress leaders meet at his house, there is nothing wrong in that. Tomorrow, leaders may gather at my residence or at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s home as well. That should not be interpreted as infighting.”
Warring rejected speculation about internal divisions, adding that there is “no factionalism” in the Punjab Congress. He expressed confidence that all senior leaders would appear together on a common stage within the next one or two days. While clarifying that neither Channi nor any other senior leader had acted against party interests, Warring said strict action would be taken against former MLAs or leaders making statements against the party or indulging in indiscipline.
Former DGP’s Open Letter
Meanwhile, former Director General of Police Mohammed Mustafa, husband of former minister Razia Sultana, wrote an open letter to Rahul Gandhi suggesting a course correction while crushing dissidence with an iron hand.
