Amarinder, Sidhu form 'strategic group' for coordination between party and govt

A ‘strategic policy group’, headed by Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and comprising state Congress president Navjot Singh Sighu among others, would be formed to ensure better coordination between the two arms of the ruling regime and “expedite implementation of various government programmes and reform initiatives”.

Accompanied by senior party functionaries Kuljit Nagra and Pargat Singh, Sidhu met the chief minister earlier in the day Friday to discuss coordination between the government and party, the CM's media in-charge advisor shared in a series of tweets.

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The announcement of formation of a 10-member group that would meet on a weekly basis was made after the meeting. Besides Singh and Sindhu, both of whom had been on a warpath till recently, the team would have ministers Brahm Mohindra, Manpreet Singh Badal and Aruna Chaudhary, four Congress working presidents -- Kuljit Singh Nagra, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Arun Goel -- and Pargat Singh, who took charge as the state unit's general secretary earlier in the week.

The CM further assigned cabinet ministers to meet Congress MLAs and functionaries by rotation every morning during the week to address their grievances and discuss issues related to their constituencies and areas. He also posted a list of the roster on Twitter. There have been frequent complaints of the CM and his team being unavailable to party workers at the grassroots level.

He further urged his party and cabinet colleagues to check facts before issuing statements.

Punjab is scheduled for its next election early next year and months-long factionalism within the state Congress has the central leadership deeply worried.

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The CM had earlier made all effort to stop Sidhu from becoming the state Congress unit chief as the latter repeatedly criticised him over his handling of several issues.