Amarinder writes to Sonia Gandhi, airs reservation on Sidhu's elevation

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, expressing reservation over Navjot Singh Sidhu's possible appointment as the state party chief

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is learnt to have written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, expressing reservation over Navjot Singh Sidhu’s possible appointment as the state party chief.

The Punjab CM is learnt to have mentioned that there could be an adverse impact on the party's prospects in the upcoming Assembly polls by ignoring the old guard, according to Congress sources.

In another development, Congress general secretary and in-charge of Punjab affairs at the AICC Harish Rawat is likely to meet Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP and senior party leader Manish Tewari gave details of the composition of the state's population, appearing to bat for a Hindu face for the post.

There are reports that Sidhu is likely to be made the Punjab Congress chief.

There is also talk of appointing two working presidents—a Dalit and a Hindu face to balance the caste equations.

The names of minister Vijay Inder Singla and MP Santokh Chaudhary are doing rounds for the post of working presidents.

But Amarinder expressed his displeasure over Sidhu being given a key post, said the sources.

Siddhu meets Sonia

Sidhu on Friday met party chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party in-charge of Punjab affairs, Harish Rawat also attended the meeting with Sidhu, sources said. AICC general secretary Rawat had, however, denied such reports.

Rawat had maintained that the central leadership was working out a peace formula where both Singh and Sidhu could work together to help the party win in the Punjab Assembly polls next year.

Both the leaders are at loggerheads with each other and have made public statements against each other. Notably, both Singh and Sidhu have held parallel meetings in Chandigarh with their loyalists.

While the chief minister has met some party MPs, MLAs and ministers, Sidhu is learnt to have met Punjab ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa and Tript Rajinder Bajwa, and some MLAs close to him at Randhawa's residence.