Navjot Sidhu To Stay, 'Agreement' With Chief Minister On Sticking Points: 10 Points

Charanjit Channi will be in Delhi today to meet the top leaders. A discussion on balancing Mr Sidhu's demands with the MLAs' expectations is likely to be the key agenda. The Congress has slammed its critics, targeting the party amid the turmoil, by calling them "anti-Dalit" after Mr Channi became the first Dalit Sikh face to lead Punjab.

Navjot Sidhu, whose shock resignation as Punjab Congress chief - described as an "emotional" outburst by his advisers - took the party by surprise on Tuesday, will be kept in loop while picking a replacement for the state's advocate general Amar Preet Singh Deol, sources said.

Punjab saw a reshuffle in the top bureaucracy after Mr Channi took charge last month. APS Deol, who had represented a former top cop in the controversial 2015 police firing case, was appointed for the role on Monday as Atul Nanda resigned from the post following the unceremonious exit of Amarinder Singh as the Punjab Chief Minister.

A 10-member panel has been sent to the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) for the appointment of a new director general of police (DGP) - another sticking point. Sources indicated that Mr Channi is ready to drop Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as Punjab police chief. He was also picked for the role just last week.

Mr Sahota's appointment was a problem because he was the head of a Special Investigation Team to probe the 2015 sacrilege case - a highly emotive issue. The probe in the sacrilege incident and subsequent police firing had also been a reason of discord between Amarinder Singh and Mr Sidhu.

The Congress has also agreed to set up a government-party panel ahead of the state polls due early next year.

Mr Sidhu was also upset about the cabinet changes made by Mr Channi right after he took charge. 

Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed as the Punjab Congress Chief after a year-long bitter feud with Amarinder Singh. "My fight is issue-based and I have stood by it for a long time. I cannot compromise with my ethics, my moral authority," Mr Sidhu had said in a video statement, a day after his resignation. "What I witness is a compromise with issues, agenda in Punjab. I cannot misguide the high command nor can I let them be misguided," he had added.

Amarinder Singh, one of the tallest leaders in Punjab, on Thursday declared he will quit the Congress but he won't join the BJP. The remark came a day after his meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, which his aide said was about farmer issues. He had earlier took a jibe at the Congress over Mr Sidhu's shock move with his "I told you so" tweet.

Captain also admitted that the Congress turmoil will benefit the AAP, which is preparing to give a tough fight in the state election. A survey -- done by the Congress between July and September -- shows that it has "seen a 20% decline", said the former Chief Minister.