Deccan Chronicle

Sidhu to take charge on Friday, to invite Capt.

Invites all Congress MLAs for breakfast, over 60 turn up

- DC CORRESPOND­ENT

THE FACT THAT THE PUNJAB chief minister has not congratula­ted Mr. Sidhu on the elevation shows that there has been no change of stance and his recent demand makes it clearer.

Even after the new appointmen­ts in the Punjab Congress by Congress President, Sonia Gandhi the infighting refuses to go away.

Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu invited all the Punjab Congress MLAs for breakfast at his residence.

Notably, of the total 77 Congress legislator­s, 62 of them attended the cricketer-turned politician’s reception.

Sidhu had also invited all 77 Congress lawmakers to pay obeisance at Golden Temple before he takes over formally the role of the Punjab Congress chief. Many cabinet ministers were also present in Mr. Sidhu’s visit to the golden temple.

“I have taken oath.

Punjab’s progress is my motive. Punjab’s progress is my progress,” Sidhu said.

The Congress high command’s peace formula seems to have failed to bring the leaders together. The fact that the Punjab chief minister has not congratula­ted Mr. Sidhu on the elevation shows that there has been no change of stance and his recent demand makes it clearer.

On Tuesday, Captain Amarinder Singh’s media advisor Raveen Thukral refuted reports suggesting

Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought time to meet the chief minister.

“Reports of @sherryonto­pp seeking time to meet @capt_amarinder are completely false. No time has been sought whatsoever. No change in stance... CM won’t meet #NavjotSing­hSidhu till latter publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him,” Mr. Thukral tweeted.

Insiders claim that Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu is all set to invite Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to an event on Friday where he will formally assume charge as president of the Punjab Congress. Besides Navjot Singh Sidhu, the four new working presidents of the Punjab Congress have also invited the chief minister.

“The invitation letter has been drafted and signed by Sidhu and other leaders, including current Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar. It will soon be sent to Captain Amarinder Singh,” said a source privy to the developmen­t.

After two months of dragging its feet the Congress High Command ruled against the party’s veteran and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and appointed Mr. Sidhu as the state unit chief. The two months of indecisive­ness have cost the party heavily.

At present the Punjab Congress stands a divided unit. Several leaders are rallying behind the newly appointed state unit chief in anticipati­on of a nomination. All this comes when elections to the state assembly are less than six months away

 ?? -PTI ?? Newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu along with party leaders, offers prayers at Golden temple in Amritsar on Wednesday.
-PTI Newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu along with party leaders, offers prayers at Golden temple in Amritsar on Wednesday.

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