Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have declined a meeting with former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi amid the ongoing infighting in the Punjab Congress. Sources said Channi's request for an appointment has not received any response so far.
The development came as Channi and senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa met AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala in Delhi on Thursday. The meeting took place ahead of another round of discussions by the party leadership to resolve the growing differences within the Punjab unit.
Despite the unrest, sources said the Congress high command is not considering any change in the state leadership. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring is expected to continue in his post ahead of the Assembly elections.
Later in the day, senior Punjab Congress leaders gathered at the party headquarters, Indira Bhawan, for a meeting chaired by Congress general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal. Channi, Randhawa, Rana Gurjeet Singh and Pargat Singh were among those who attended.
Sources said Channi told Venugopal that Warring had failed to keep the party united. He reportedly said that retaining Warring as the Punjab Congress chief for the Assembly elections could worsen the internal situation. However, sources maintained that the party leadership has decided not to replace Warring despite the demands raised by the Channi camp.
A section of Punjab Congress leaders has been demanding a change in the state leadership, with Channi emerging as one of the leading voices. However, the party's central leadership has so far rejected the demand.
Sources said Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel believe that changing the state chief under pressure would send the wrong political message.
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