Punjab CM Channi reaches out to Sidhu, offers to talk it out

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday reached out to a miffed Navjot Singh Sidhu and offered to resolve issues through talks, a day after the former cricketer resigned as the Punjab Congress chief.

Channi also said the party is supreme and the government follows the party’s ideology.

“I have spoken to Sidhu Sahab over the telephone today. Party is supreme and the government accepts the party’s ideology and follows that. (I told him that) you should come, sit and talk,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting.

“The (state) president is the head of the party. The head has to sit among the family,” he said, adding that Sidhu had agreed to meet.

Sidhu, who had abruptly put in his papers plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis, on Wednesday broke his silence, questioning the appointments of the director-general of police, state’s advocate general, and “tainted” leaders.

Channi, however, defended the appointments, saying he had acted on the basis of feedback from the party members.

“I have no objection or any ego in anything,” he said, indicating that he was ready to review the decisions.

Asked what was Sidhu’s response to his offer to talk it out, Channi said that Sidhu told him that he would give the time for the meeting.

“We will sit with him and talk,” he said.

To a question, Channi said Minister Pargat Singh and some other leaders went to meet Sidhu.

Asked if Sidhu had done the right thing, Channi said he could not comment on it.

“I will never deviate from the issues of the people of Punjab,” he asserted.

He said, “Whatever feedback we got from colleagues and others and whosoever can be appointed, we appointed. But the decisions will be taken according to the will of the people of Punjab.”