2022 Punjab Polls Under Amarinder's Leadership, Says Congress; Rebels Meet Rawat

Harish Rawat's assurance comes amid reports of at least 34 MLAs convening a meeting to discuss Singh's 'removal'.

Amarinder Singh.

(Photo: PTI)

Amid the reports of renewed calls by several Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to 'replace' Captain Amarinder Singh as the chief minister of Punjab, the state's All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge Harish Rawat on Wednesday, 25 August, said that the party will contest the 2022 assembly elections under Singh's leadership.

"We shall contest the 2022 Punjab elections under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh," Rawat told ANI.

Rawat's assurance comes amid reports of at least 34 MLAs of the party, including several ministers, convening a meeting to discuss Singh's removal.

As many as 34 legislators of the Congress, including four cabinet ministers, decided to inform the party's high command about the widespread dissidence within the Congress and stated that it was time for the party to opt for a change of guard.

'Will Find a Solution': Harish Rawat

While the crisis in the Punjab Congress was believed to have been resolved after appointing Navjot Singh Sidhu as the chief of the state unit, Rawat said that the party high command will try to find a solution on the issues that still prevail.

He further told the media that four ministers and three MLAs met him and expressed their concerns about the party's chances of winning the elections.

"They said they are not against anyone, they want to go to the polls with a clear roadmap so that we win," Rawat said, as quoted by ANI.

Speaking to the media earlier, Rawat questioned the reasons behind the differences just months ahead of the elections despite the party functioning smoothly so far.

"Everyone trusts Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. We will look into the matter and try to resolve it," he told ANI.

The Meet

Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that several had "lost faith" in Singh, IANS reported quoting Chandigarh media.

A five-member committee of cabinet ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Channi, and Pargat Singh has been authorised by the legislators to meet the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi over the matter.

The Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Tuesday, however, stated that at least seven MLAs have denied any such discussions and that the matter was not even discussed at the meeting.

The reported meet came after a section of Punjab ministers and MLAs called for strong action against Sidhu's aides Malwinder Mali and Pyare Lal Garg over their recent remarks on Jammu and Kashmir.