Punjab Congress Deadlock Eases; Leaders Set to Meet AICC General Secretary

CHANDIGARH: The deadlock within the Punjab Congress appeared to ease on Thursday as senior leaders close to former chief minister and MP Charanjit Singh Channi and former deputy chief minister and MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who have been opposing Amarinder Singh Raja Warring's continuation as Punjab Congress president, decided to initiate a dialogue with AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel. However, they insisted that Warring should not attend the meeting. Sources said the meeting is expected to take place on Friday or Saturday. The venue and timing of the meeting with Baghel will be decided by the Channi-Randhawa group after consultations with all the leaders who had earlier attended the meetings in Morinda and Kharar. The meeting, however, will be held on the condition that Warring will not be part of it. It is learnt that the decision to open a channel of communication with Baghel came after a senior Congress leader advised the disgruntled leaders to maintain party discipline while pursuing their agenda and to meet the Punjab affairs in-charge, who represents the AICC. The leaders pointed out that the dinner diplomacy by Baghel to project a show of strength for Warring did not hold ground, as several senior leaders stayed away from meeting him.