NEW DELHI: Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu met Rahul Gandhi on Friday evening, a day after he held a meeting with AICC managers and said that he will abide by the decision of the party leadership on the issue of his resignation.
Sidhu told reporters that he had shared his concerns with Rahul and “everything had been sorted out”. AICC general secretary Harish Rawat said, “We have told him that his concerns will be taken care of. He assured Rahul that he has withdrawn his resignation and he will resume his duties as the state president.”
Sidhu had earlier resigned in a huff which triggered a row and he was summoned by AICC general secretaries Rawat and K C Venugopal for a meeting on Thursday.
Despite Sidhu’s public statement expressing confidence in the Gandhis on Thursday, tension lingered a day later. Well-placed sources said Sidhu was expected to make a public statement on his withdrawal of resignation on Friday. But it did not happen. Even after meeting with Rahul, he did not himself say anything about withdrawing the resignation.
Even now, doubts remain if there would be stability in the state Congress given the differences between Sidhu and CM Charanjit Channi over key appointments. Sources indicated that senior party leaders will be discussing the issue with long term in mind given the worries about instability resurfacing.
The Gandhi siblings, with whom Sidhu is close, had kept their distance from him during the fresh controversy and he had to deal with AICC managers.
“He will have to focus more on organisation and be less emotional in his reactions,“ a party leader said.
Sidhu told reporters that he had shared his concerns with Rahul and “everything had been sorted out”. AICC general secretary Harish Rawat said, “We have told him that his concerns will be taken care of. He assured Rahul that he has withdrawn his resignation and he will resume his duties as the state president.”
Sidhu had earlier resigned in a huff which triggered a row and he was summoned by AICC general secretaries Rawat and K C Venugopal for a meeting on Thursday.
Despite Sidhu’s public statement expressing confidence in the Gandhis on Thursday, tension lingered a day later. Well-placed sources said Sidhu was expected to make a public statement on his withdrawal of resignation on Friday. But it did not happen. Even after meeting with Rahul, he did not himself say anything about withdrawing the resignation.
Even now, doubts remain if there would be stability in the state Congress given the differences between Sidhu and CM Charanjit Channi over key appointments. Sources indicated that senior party leaders will be discussing the issue with long term in mind given the worries about instability resurfacing.
The Gandhi siblings, with whom Sidhu is close, had kept their distance from him during the fresh controversy and he had to deal with AICC managers.
“He will have to focus more on organisation and be less emotional in his reactions,“ a party leader said.