SIDHU TAKES OATH AS PUNJAB CONG CHIEF, CM ATTENDS EVENT
NEW DELHI: Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday took the reins of the Punjab unit of the Congress as its president in the presence of chief minister Amarinder Singh, marking the end of a bitter fight between the two leaders.
The cricketer-turned-politician, who was appointed as the Punjab unit chief on Sunday by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was seen getting up from his chair, warming up with a batting move he displayed during his time as a cricket player and heading towards the dais to address party workers as Singh looked on.
After taking charge at the state Congress headquarters, Sidhu said there is no difference between an ordinary worker of the party and its state unit chief. “Every Congress worker in Punjab has become the chief of the party’s state unit from today,” the Amritsar (East) MLA said.
Even as Sidhu and Singh managed to put the issue aside and come together for the Punjab Congress unit’s reshuffle, the two leaders were not seen talking during the ceremony and while getting photos clicked.
Singh recalled the Patiala ties with Sidhu and said: “I was commissioned in the army, the year Sidhu was born. When my mother asked me to enter politics, his (Sidhu’s) father helped me. I used to go to his house when he was about six years old.”
NEW DELHI: Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday took the reins of Congress’ Punjab unit as the party president in the presence of chief minister Amarinder Singh, marking the end of a bitter infight.
The cricketer-turned-politician, who was appointed as the Punjab unit chief on Sunday by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was seen getting up from his chair, warming up with a batting move he displayed during his time as a cricket player and heading towards the dais to address party workers as Amarinder Singh looked on.
After taking charge at the state Congress headquarters, Sidhu said there is no difference between an ordinary worker of the party and its state unit chief. “Every Congress worker in Punjab has become the chief of the party’s state unit from today,” the Amritsar (East) MLA said.
Even as Sidhu and Amarinder Singh managed to put the issue aside and come together for the Punjab Congress unit’s reshuffle, the two leaders were not seen talking during the ceremony and while getting photos clicked.
Capt Amarinder recalled the Patiala ties with Sidhu and said: “I was commissioned in the army, the year Sidhu was born. When my mother asked me to enter politics, his (Sidhu’s) father helped me. I used to go to his house when he was about six years old.”
Sidhu met the chief minister hours before the ceremony at Punjab Bhawan over a cup of tea in what has been termed as a cordial meeting between the two. This was the first time in nearly four months that Sidhu and Singh met each other.
The CM had invited all the MLAs, MPs, and senior functionaries of the party from the state for tea at Punjab Congress Bhawan for forming a new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee team.
Capt Amarinder Singh arrived at Punjab Bhawan shortly after Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had arrived there. Though Sidhu had left from the Bhawan for 10 minutes and later rejoined the gathering there.
The Congress party has attempted the reshuffle ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for next year. The party is eyeing to retain power in Punjab as other players like the BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) try to gain ground. The Congress party is fiercely backing farmers protesting the three central farm laws in the state, amping up the pitch against the BJP-led government.