Brushingall the rumours aside Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and new PunjabCongress President Navjot Singh Sidhu meet at Punjab Bhawan where the formerarranged a tea party for all the MLAs and party functionaries ahead ofinstallation ceremony of new PPCC team.
Accordingto Congress leaders, the meeting between Sidhu and Singh, who have been atloggerheads with each other for some time, was "cordial". Accordingto a video from the event, Sidhu greeted Singh with folded hands and broke theice by saying "How are you, sir? Such a pleasure." Sidhu was about to sit across the table fromSingh, who was already seated, but was asked to sit next to the CM. This wasthe first time in nearly four months that Sidhu and Singh met each other.
CaptainAmrinder Singh, who reached here from his farmhouse in Siswan, had invitedparty leaders for tea at the Punjab Bhawan. Sidhucame from Patiala and went to the Punjab Bhawan but surprisingly, he left in ahuff and later re-entered Punjab Bhawan after some time.
Sourcesclaimed that Sidhu was reportedly not accorded a suitable welcome by theCaptain inside Punjab Bhawan following which he left the venue in his car butre-entered Punjab Bhawan within some time, probably on the directions of theparty high command.
However,giving clarification of his sudden shuttling, Sidhu claimed that he had gonefor an ‘Ardaas’. Later Sidhu shares a cup of tea with the Chief Minister andleft for the Congress headquarter.
Elaboratesecurity arrangements were made at Punjab Bhawan but media was not allowedentry inside the Punjab Bhawan. Several Ministers, Congress MLAs and othersenior party leaders were also present at Punjab Bhawan.
KuljitSingh Nagra and Sangat Singh Gilzian, two of the four newly-appointed workingpresidents of the state Congress had on Thursday extended a formal invite tothe chief minister at his farmhouse in Mohali's Siswan for the installationceremony. The invitation letter was signed by over 55 legislators.
In anapparent bid to bury the differences with the chief minister, Sidhu hadseparately requested Singh to come for the installation ceremony and said hehad "no personal agenda".
Sidhuand Captain have been at loggerheads for some time, with the Amritsar (East)MLA recently attacking the chief minister over desecration cases. Captain hadearlier opposed Sidhu's appointment as the state Congress chief and said hewould not meet him until the cricketer-turned-politician apologized for his"derogatory" tweets against him.
Also Read: Capt Amarinder and Navjot Sidhu finally meet; Rahul says ‘Punjab crisis has been resolved’
Thoughtwo leaders were seen sitting together at the installation ceremony butbitterness among the two was also visible during the event during which theydid not share even a single word. While addressing the gathering, the outgoingPresident of Punjab Congress Sunil Jakhar thanks the party high command forappointing a a dynamic leader like Sidhu to lead the party for the comingelections in the state.
PartyGeneral Secretary and Punjab incharge Harish Rawat urged the party leaders andworkers to work together in harmony to ensure a thumping victory in the nextassembly elections.
CaptainAmarinder Singh said he will work together with the new President for Punjab.Addressing Sidhu as Navjot several times, the Chief Minister spoke of hisfamily's long association with Navjot's father. He credited him for his forayinto politics.
"Wewill work together for Punjab. Not just Punjab, but India. We share a longborder with Pakistan and we have to defend our borders while defeating thenefarious activities of our enemies,” he said adding that we have to bringpeople together.
Onthe other hand, Sidhu did not pronounce Captain’s name even once during hisentire speech. While addressing the party workers Sidhu said Presidentship wasnot an issue for him as his real issues were sacrilege, protesting farmers,protesting unemployed teachers, protesting doctors and nurses, and otherburning issues, which was creating a sense of uncertainly among the people of the state.
He also raises theissue of purchasing of electricity and said he will work for the 18 pointagenda of the party high command. The crowd chanted Sidhu's name repeatedly ashe spoke.
DuringNavjot Singh Sidhus coronation in Chandigarh, Corona rules was ignored, thecrowd was without masks and no physical distancing were maintained to whichChandigarh police was only mute spectators.
(By Dinesh Sharma)