Told Navjot Singh Sidhu to resolve differences, says Punjab CM Charanjit Channi as deadlock continues

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday reached out to a miffed Navjot Singh Sidhu and offered to resolve issues through talks, a day after the latter resigned as the Punjab Congress chief.Channi also said the party is supreme and the government follows the party's ideology."I have spoken to Sidhu sahab over the telephone today. Party is supreme and the government accepts the party's ideology and follows that. (I told him that) you should come, sit and talk," he told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting."The (state) president is the head of the party. The head has to sit among the family," he said, adding that Sidhu had agreed to meet.Sidhu, who had abruptly put in his papers plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis, on Wednesday broke his silence, questioning the appointments of the director-general of police, state's advocate general and tainted leaders.Channi, however, defended the appointments, saying he had acted on the basis of feedback from the party members.I have no objection or any ego in anything, he said, indicating that he was ready to review the decisions.Asked what was Sidhu's response to his offer to talk it out, Channi said that Sidhu told him that he would give the time for the meeting."We will sit with him and talk," he said.To a question, Channi said Minister Pargat Singh and some other leaders went to meet Sidhu.Asked if Sidhu had done the right thing, Channi said he could not comment on it."I will never deviate from the issues of the people of Punjab," he asserted.He said, "Whatever feedback we got from colleagues and others and whosoever can be appointed, we appointed. But the decisions will be taken according to the will of the people of Punjab."AICC in-charge following political developmentsThe Congress on Wednesday said AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat is closely following the political developments in the state and is in the best position to comment on the matter.Plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis months ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, Navjot Singh Sidhu quit as the party's state unit chief on Tuesday, shortly after the allocation of portfolios among the members of the new state cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.Asked about the dramatic developments in Punjab, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Rawat is closely monitoring the situation and is completely aware of all the happenings which she may not be and therefore, she would not like to comment on it.Shrinate told reporters that since Rawat is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Punjab, he is in the best position to answer queries on developments in the party's state unit and should be contacted for comments.However, Rawat could not be reached for a comment.Talking to reporters here, Shrinate also raised the issue of a news anchor using a derogatory term during a television debate on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.She condemned the use of the term as "deplorable" and alleged that some in the media had become "puppets" in the hands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The anchor has apologised and said an unparliamentary term was used during a show, which should not have been used.