Amid Punjab Cong rift, CLP to meet at 5 pm

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) The Congress has called a quick meeting of its legislative party in Punjab on Saturday at 5 pm in response to MLAs asking for a discussion on issues within the party.

"The AICC has received a representation from a large number of MLAs from the Congress party, requesting to immediately convene a meeting of the Congress Legislative Party of Punjab. Accordingly, a meeting of the CLP has been convened at 5 pm on 18th September at Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee office.

"AICC directs the PPCC to facilitate this meeting. All Congress MLAs of Punjab are requested to kindly attend this meeting," tweeted Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat.

Navjot Singh Sidhu also tweeted the same information about hurriedly called meet and the central body is likely to send observers.

The MLAs have demanded that two neutral observers be sent from Delhi so that they can narrate their grievances. The prime movers this time are Pargat Singh and Tript Singh Bajwa, both are close to party state chief Sidhu.

Harish Rawat met Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday and sources said he has been asked to settle the raging tussle within the party as MLAs have once again started raising voices that amounted to calling the meeting.

Rawat is also said to have spoken to the top Congress leaders in Punjab.