Punjab Congress crisis: Navjot Singh Sidhu to meet Rahul Gandhi today

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday left from his residence in Patiala to meet Rahul Gandhi in the national capital.

Rahul Gandhi has been continuously meeting Congress MLAs, MPs and prominent leaders from Punjab at his residence from the last few days to diffuse the tensions between the Chief Minister and Sidhu.

A three-member panel had been set up by Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi to end factionalism in the party's Punjab unit.

On Friday, the leaders who reached Rahul Gandhi's residence to attend a meeting included Vijendra Singla, Rana Gurjit Singh, RS MP Shamsher Singh Dhillon, and MLA Lakhvir Singh.

Rajya Sabha MP Shamsher Singh Dhillon while speaking to the mediapersons had said that the meeting was held to resolve infighting in the Punjab Congress and added that decisions were made to strengthen the party in the upcoming elections in the state.

Gandhi on Wednesday met many senior Punjab leaders including Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Harish Rawat in Delhi amid escalating infighting in the party's state unit.

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh during his recent three-day visit to Delhi did not meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

The state is crucial for Congress as it is one of the few states where the party is in power and the outcome will have an impact on the party's prospects outside the state as well.

Assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled to take place next year.