Sack advisors or I will: Harish Rawat to Navjyot Singh Sidhu

PCC chief Navjyot Singh Sidhu is faced with the prospect of removing his controversial advisors, whom he had propped up as part of his plot to target chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, or fight his sponsors, notably Priyanka Vadra, who propped him up as PPCC chief. In continuing damage-control exercise in the Punjab unit, AICC general secretary Harish Rawat on Thursday asked Sidhu to remove his advisors, who made controversial comments on Punjab and J&K or see them sacked by the party.

“These advisers were not appointed by the party. We have asked Sidhu to dismiss them. If Sidhu does not do that, I will. We do not want people who embarrass the party,” Rawat told a news channel after, once again, rejecting the provocative comments of Sidhu’s aides. Sidhu, is yet to comment on the issues, which some say indicated his belligerence even as three ministers loyal to him skipped the Cabinet meet convened by the CM on Thursday, despite AICC clarifying Amarinder Singh will lead the state Congress in the forthcoming assembly polls.

Meanwhile in Chattisgarh, senior minister TS Singh Deo is learnt to have politely, but firmly, conveyed to the Congress leadership that he would consider quitting his ministerial post if he is not made CM by rotation, as promised by Rahul Gandhi, AICC insiders said. Chief minister Bhupesh Bhaghel’s recent moves to prop up rivals in Deo’s areas of traditional influence in the tribal belts seems to have added to the senior minister’s ire. The AICC, which tried to placate Deo with offers of bigger portfolio, PCC rejig and protection of territorial interest, was forced to call back the CM to Delhi for more meeting on Friday with Rahul Gandhi even as some MLAs close to Deo too were planning to reach Delhi to demonstrate their support.


Deo said on Thursday that he remained a loyal Congressman and typically added that it was for the leadership to decide on the CM’s post.