PunjabCongress president Sunil Jakhar, finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal andRajya Sabha MP Pratap Singh Bajwa met Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday to apprise himof the situation after infighting escalated in the state.
SunilJakhar said after the meet, "Hope that the current situation will beresolved and some wrong people are advising the chief minister over thedecision on jobs to kin of MLAs."
Hesaid the issue of Navjot Singh Sidhu is under discussion by the partyleadership. While another bete noire of Punjab CM, Pratap Singh Bajwa also metRahul Gandhi and said that he discussed the ground reality and currentpolitical situation in the state.
Heasserted, "the party high-command will take decision over the chiefministerial candidate for next assembly elections."
FormerCongress president Rahul Gandhi has stepped in to defuse the tension in thestate unit as he met several leaders including Pargat Singh.
SomeMLAs who met Rahul Gandhi said that they have raised issues regarding thestate. Pargat Singh, who is among those MLAs, critical of the chief minister,said: "If CM is ready to address the issues raised by me, then the matteris resolved."
Meanwhile,Amarinder Singh expressed his displeasure during the meeting on Tuesday withthe party panel for being targeted and said that undue pressure is beingcreated by a few individuals, sources said.
However,senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who heads the three-member panel, whichhas got a larger mandate for poll preparation apart from resolving factionalismin the state party unit, said: "Everybody has said that they will fightthe polls together and the party is united under the leadership of Sonia Gandhiand Rahul Gandhi."
Sourcessay the panel discussed the political situation in the state and also issuesrelated to Navjot Singh Sidhu and a possible way out to resolve the issue.
WhileSidhu is not relenting in his attack on the chief minister, he has insisted onan early resolution of issues. State in-charge Harish Rawat has said that thematter is with Sonia Gandhi and refused to comment on statements made by Sidhu.