Brushing all the rumours aside Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and new Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu meet at Punjab Bhawan where the former arranged a tea party for all the MLAs and party functionaries ahead of installation ceremony of new PPCC team.
According to Congress leaders, the meeting between Sidhu and Singh, who have been at loggerheads with each other for some time, was "cordial". According to a video from the event, Sidhu greeted Singh with folded hands and broke the ice by saying "How are you, sir? Such a pleasure." Sidhu was about to sit across the table from Singh, who was already seated, but was asked to sit next to the CM. This was the first time in nearly four months that Sidhu and Singh met each other.
Captain Amrinder Singh, who reached here from his farmhouse in Siswan, had invited party leaders for tea at the Punjab Bhawan. Sidhu came from Patiala and went to the Punjab Bhawan but surprisingly, he left in a huff and later re-entered Punjab Bhawan after some time.
Sources claimed that Sidhu was reportedly not accorded a suitable welcome by the Captain inside Punjab Bhawan following which he left the venue in his car but re-entered Punjab Bhawan within some time, probably on the directions of the party high command.
However, giving clarification of his sudden shuttling, Sidhu claimed that he had gone for an ‘Ardaas’. Later Sidhu shares a cup of tea with the Chief Minister and left for the Congress headquarter.
Elaborate security arrangements were made at Punjab Bhawan but media was not allowed entry inside the Punjab Bhawan. Several Ministers, Congress MLAs and other senior party leaders were also present at Punjab Bhawan.
Kuljit Singh Nagra and Sangat Singh Gilzian, two of the four newly-appointed working presidents of the state Congress had on Thursday extended a formal invite to the chief minister at his farmhouse in Mohali's Siswan for the installation ceremony. The invitation letter was signed by over 55 legislators.
In an apparent bid to bury the differences with the chief minister, Sidhu had separately requested Singh to come for the installation ceremony and said he had "no personal agenda".
Sidhu and Captain have been at loggerheads for some time, with the Amritsar (East) MLA recently attacking the chief minister over desecration cases. Captain had earlier opposed Sidhu's appointment as the state Congress chief and said he would not meet him until the cricketer-turned-politician apologized for his "derogatory" tweets against him.
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Though two leaders were seen sitting together at the installation ceremony but bitterness among the two was also visible during the event during which they did not share even a single word. While addressing the gathering, the outgoing President of Punjab Congress Sunil Jakhar thanks the party high command for appointing a a dynamic leader like Sidhu to lead the party for the coming elections in the state.
Party General Secretary and Punjab incharge Harish Rawat urged the party leaders and workers to work together in harmony to ensure a thumping victory in the next assembly elections.
Captain Amarinder Singh said he will work together with the new President for Punjab. Addressing Sidhu as Navjot several times, the Chief Minister spoke of his family's long association with Navjot's father. He credited him for his foray into politics.
"We will work together for Punjab. Not just Punjab, but India. We share a long border with Pakistan and we have to defend our borders while defeating the nefarious activities of our enemies,” he said adding that we have to bring people together.
On the other hand, Sidhu did not pronounce Captain’s name even once during his entire speech. While addressing the party workers Sidhu said Presidentship was not an issue for him as his real issues were sacrilege, protesting farmers, protesting unemployed teachers, protesting doctors and nurses, and other burning issues, which was creating a sense of uncertainly among the people of the state.
He also raises the issue of purchasing of electricity and said he will work for the 18 point agenda of the party high command. The crowd chanted Sidhu's name repeatedly as he spoke.
Also Read: Clash of ego in Punjab Congress escalates Party High Command’s tension
During Navjot Singh Sidhus coronation in Chandigarh, Corona rules was ignored, the crowd was without masks and no physical distancing were maintained to which Chandigarh police was only mute spectators.
(By Dinesh Sharma)