Amarinder meets Sonia, says will accept any decision

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday met interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi amid escalated tension in the state unit.

After the meeting which lasted an hour, Amarinder Singh said: "Whatever we discuss in such meeting with the Congress President is confidential. We can't say it in public and it is not for public consumption."

"But we have discussed about the developmental issues of the state, including politics... I will accept whatever decisions will be taken by the party high command."

He, however, declined to comment on disgruntled Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Ahead of the Sonia Gandhi-Amarinder Singh meet, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had met Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress has constituted a committee under Malliakarjun Kharge to resolve the issue pertaining to the state and it had submitted its report.

Kharge was also present at the meeting, which comes against the backdrop of the suggestions made by the Congress high command to the Punjab government and changes in the state unit of the party, days after Sidhu met Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

After these meetings, there was speculation that Priyanka Gandhi has suggested Sidhu's name as the Punjab Congress chief. However, Amarinder Singh and some of the other faction leaders in the party were not accepting this formula.

Sources said that Punjab leaders may accept Sidhu as the Working President, but not as the full-fledged state unit chief as the Chief Minister is keen on having a non-Sikh face in the role.