Punjab Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh met Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the latter’s residencein New Delhi. Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat was already present there.
This meeting wasCaptain's first meeting with Sonia Gandhi after Navjot Sidhu took over asPunjab Congress chief. Despite the displeasure, the Captain accepted thedecision of the Congress High Command and accepted Sidhu as the head. Hehad also reached the Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh for the coronation ceremonyof Sidhu.
Sonia Gandhi andAmarinder Singh have met at a time when there is a discussion that there may bean expansion of the cabinet in the Punjab government. According tosources, Raj Kumar Verka and Rana KP are the two likely candidates whose namesare doing rounds in Congress circles. Verka is a Dalit leader who is saidto be close to Sidhu and Rana is an OBC leader as well as Speaker of theAssembly.
Sources also saidthat Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh may drop some ministers from thecabinet. The names of Gurpreet Kangar and Charanjit Channi are being takenin this regard. Further changes in the state party organization can happenafter the reshuffle of the ministerial post.
The Captain also tooksome files with him. Those files areexpected about the action being taken on the 18-point formula of the HighCommand and the work of the ministers. However, there has been no officialresponse from the Captain yet.
“Capt Amrinder Singhmet Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi this evening to discuss variousstate-related issues. Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh spent an extremelysatisfying one hour with her,” stated Media Advisor Raveen Thukral.
Poll strategistPrashant Kishor also met Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh in Delhi today just afew days after quitting as the political advisor to him. On August 5,Prashant Kishor quit as Punjab CM's political advisor, claiming that he wantedto "take a temporary break from an active participation in publiclife."
All of this comesmonths before Punjab heads into assembly elections. Elections are due forPunjab’s 117 assembly seats in the first half of next year.
Meanwhile, Punjab CMalso met Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss Punjab’s border security issues.After tiffin bomb was recovered by Punjab Police, the state has been put on highalert; therefore, Punjab CM discussed this matter with home minister.