This Article is From Oct 15, 2021

"Everything Sorted": Navjot Sidhu Meets Rahul Gandhi, Cancels Resignation

Congress sources had said a decision on Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation letter as Punjab unit chief was expected on Friday.

Navjot Sidhu met Rahul Gandhi at his residence (File).

New Delhi:

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu met party leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday and withdrew his exit notice, a day after signalling an apparent climbdown. "I shared all my concerns with Rahul Gandhi. Everything has been sorted out," he said.

That he had withdrawn his curt resignation letter from last month was made official after the meeting by the party leadership's emissary to the state unit, Harish Rawat, who said, "He (Mr Sidhu) shared his concerns with Rahul Gandhi. We have told him that his concerns will be taken care of here. He assured Rahul Gandhi that he has withdrawn his resignation and he will resume his duties as the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) president."

Mr Sidhu had hinted at an end to his latest sulk on Thursday after he met party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Harish Rawat in Delhi and said he would follow any decision taken by the Gandhis.

"I have placed my concerns to party high command, I have full trust that whatever party president, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra decide, it will be for Punjab. I consider them supreme and follow their orders," the cricketer-turned politician said after the meeting on Thursday.

A party leader, requesting not to be named, had said, "A formal decision is expected tomorrow. Sidhu has retracted from his belligerent position of resigning as PCC (Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee) chief."

Earlier, Harish Rawat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI: "Navjot Singh Sidhu and Charanjit Channi have spoken on some issues, a solution will emerge...there are some things that take time."

The meeting came following an uncomfortable truce between Mr Sidhu and new Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi who was appointed to the job only after his predecessor Amarinder Singh quit over a mutiny fronted by Mr Sidhu.

Navjot Sidhu had last month posted his resignation on Twitter, making his displeasure apparent at the appointments and cabinet reshuffle under the new Chief Minister. The very next day he was back on board after an agreement was reached with the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi.

His absence at the wedding ceremony of the Chief Minister's son, however, spotlighted the tension under the surface.

The 57-year-old in a cryptic tweet on October 2 had said, "Will uphold principles of Gandhi Ji & Shastri Ji... Post or No Post will stand by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi".

Navjot Sidhu was made the Punjab Congress chief in July despite strong opposition from the then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

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