Congress crisis: Amarinder Singh won’t meet Navjot Singh Sidhu unless he apologises for derogatory remarks, says CM’s office

While Sidhu met party leaders on Monday, Capt Singh met around a dozen of ministers in a separate meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is not going to meet newly appointed state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu until the latter issued a public apology for the personally derogatory social media attacks directed against him, the CM’s office has said. The clarification came after reports suggested that Sidhu had sought time to meet the Chief Minister, hinting at an attempt to reconcile differences. Putting all such speculation to rest, the CM’s office said that neither has Sidhu sought time to meet the CM nor has there been any change in the Chief Minister’s stand on the matter.

Notably, Singh had opposed Sidhu’s appointment as the PCC chief. However, he accepted Sonia Gandhi’s decision but made it clear to Congress party’s Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat that he will not meet Sidhu unless he publicly apologises for offensive tweets against the CM.

Sidhu was made PCC chief on Sunday and he spent Monday visiting Punjab cabinet ministers and other party leaders in Chandigarh and Mohali. While Sidhu met party leaders on Monday, Capt Singh met around a dozen of ministers in a separate meeting.

While many Congress leaders congratulated Sidhu for his elevation, CM Capt Amarinder Singh is yet to congratulate him.

Senior Congress leader and cabinet minister Brahm Mahindra had also ruled out any personal meeting with Sidhu till he resolves his issues with Chief Minister Singh. The statement comes on a day when Sidhu was in Amritsar and got a rousing welcome from his supporters and party workers. Mahindra said that Singh is the leader of the Congress legislature party and being a minister, he is duty-bound to follow the CM.

The cricketer-turned-politician will pay obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar today and many party leaders are expected to be there.